压惊 (yā jīng) — to soothe someone after a shock (often by treating them to a meal or giving a gift)

Definition

A culturally loaded verb meaning to soothe or comfort someone after a fright, usually by treating them to food or a gift. Often used as a verb-complement split (压压惊, 压了压惊).

verb
to soothe someone after a shock (often by treating them to a meal or giving a gift)

Examples

  • ，压惊。
    Hái zi bèi gǒu xià dào le, lǎo rén gǎn jǐn gěi tā yā jīng.
    The child was scared by a dog, so the elderly person quickly comforted him.
  • ，压惊。
    Péng you gāng diū le gōng zuò, wǒ men qǐng tā chī fàn yā le yā jīng.
    Our friend just lost his job, so we treated him to a meal to help him get over the shock.
  • ，压惊。
    Lù shang chū le xiǎo chē huò, dà jiā hù xiāng yā jīng.
    There was a minor car accident on the road, and everyone comforted each other.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

压yāpress down
惊jīngfright

压 (press down) and 惊 (fright) combine to mean calming someone after a shock.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔdust
Sound part声符shēngfú
厭
厭yàn壓yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Open 压 →

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
京
京jīng惊jīng
Same sound today

惊 is made from 忄 (heart) and 京, which gives the sound.

Open 惊 →

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