半吊子 (bàn diào zi) — dabbler; person with superficial or incomplete knowledge of something; tactless or impulsive person; someone who acts without thinking

Definition

A dismissive noun for someone who only half-knows a subject (a dabbler) or who acts half-cocked without thinking things through. Often used as a mild insult, e.g. 他是个半吊子.

noun
dabblerperson with superficial or incomplete knowledge of somethingtactless or impulsive personsomeone who acts without thinking
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，半吊子。
    Tā xué shén me dōu zhī xué yì diǎn, zhēn shì gè bàn diào zi.
    He only learns a little bit of everything — he's really a dabbler.
  • 半吊子，。
    Nǐ bié gēn nà ge bàn diào zi yì qǐ bàn shì, tā zǒng shì bù kǎo lǜ hòu guǒ.
    Don't work with that impulsive guy; he never considers the consequences.
  • ，半吊子。
    Tā xiě dài mǎ de shí hou zǒng shì bú chè dǐ, zài tóng shì yǎn lǐ jiù shì gè bàn diào zi.
    When he writes code he never does it thoroughly, so in his coworkers' eyes he's a dabbler.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

半吊half a string
半bànhalf吊diàostring of cash
偏正Modifier + head
子zǐ

半 means half, 吊 refers to a string of cash, and 子 forms the name for such a person.

Characters in this word

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

The shape pairs 八 (to divide) with 牛 (cow), showing a cow cut into two halves.

Open 半 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 吊 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.