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冒失 (mào shi) — rash; abrupt

Definition

Adjective meaning 'rash, abrupt' — describes someone acting or speaking without thinking, which can cause offense or trouble. Used to criticize careless behavior in people and their actions.

adjective
rashabrupt

Examples

  • 冒失，。
    Tā shuō huà tài mào shi le, róng yì dé zuì rén.
    He speaks too rashly and easily offends people.
  • 冒失。
    mào shi De zuò fǎ kě néng huì dài lái má fan.
    Rash actions may bring trouble.
  • 冒失。
    Nà ge nián qīng rén yǒu diǎn mào shi.
    That young man is a bit rash.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

冒màoreckless
失shīcareless

The reckless sense of 冒 and the careless sense of 失 combine to describe rashness.

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
目目mùeyes
Sound part声符shēngfú
冃
冃mào冒mào
Same sound today

冒 was built from 冃, a hat used for the sound, plus 目, eyes, as the meaning part.

Open 冒 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape is explained as a fallen person's footprint surrounded by drops of blood; another reading pairs 手 (hand) and 乙 to show something falling from a hand.

Open 失 →
Appears in
Personality & Traits

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