使性子 (shǐ xìng zǐ) — to throw a tantrum; to get into a bad mood on purpose

Definition

A verb meaning to lose one's temper or sulk deliberately, like throwing a tantrum. It's a set verb-object phrase — 使 (shǐ, 'to use/apply') + 性子 (xìngzi, 'temper') — and takes 了 after the object to show completion.

verb
to throw a tantrumto get into a bad mood on purpose

Examples

  • 使性子，。
    Bié zài zhè r shǐ xìng zǐ le, dà jiā dōu děng zhe ne.
    Stop throwing a tantrum here — everyone is waiting.
  • ？。
    Tā yòu zài shǐ shén me xìng zi? méi rén rě tā a.
    What kind of mood is she in again? Nobody provoked her.
  • 使性子，。
    Tā yí bù mǎn yì jiù huì shǐ xìng zǐ, wǒ men dōu hěn tóu téng.
    As soon as he's unhappy, he throws a tantrum — it's a headache for all of us.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

使shǐgive vent to
性子temper
性xìngnature子zǐsuffix
后缀Suffix

使 (give vent to) and 性子 (temper) combine to describe throwing a tantrum.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
吏
吏lì使shǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

使 pairs 亻 (person) with 吏, which pictures a hand holding something like a flag, giving the sense of a representative or ambassador.

Open 使 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
生
生shēng性xìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

性 is built from 忄 (the heart) and 生 (a sound clue). The heart part connects the word to a person's inner nature or quality.

Open 性 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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