叫骂 (jiào mà) — to shout curses; to rant | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A vivid verb meaning to shout curses or rant at someone, implying loud, angry verbal abuse. Stronger and more sustained than 骂, which covers scolding in general.

verb

to shout cursesto rant

Examples

叫骂。
Tā zhàn zài mén kǒu dà shēng jiào mà.
He stood at the door shouting curses loudly.
叫骂，。
Lín jū chǎo jià shí hù xiāng jiào mà, chǎo le hěn jiǔ.
The neighbors shouted curses at each other during the quarrel, arguing for a long time.
叫骂，。
Tīng dào duì fāng de jiào mà, tā qì dé shuō bù chū huà.
Hearing the other party's ranting, he was so angry that he couldn't speak.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

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

叫 is to shout, and 骂 is to curse; together they describe ranting out insults.

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.

口丩叫

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

丩

丩jiū叫jiào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

叫 shows a mouth 口 and a sound part 丩. The mouth fits the old sense of shouting.

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 罵; 骂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

馬

馬mǎ罵mà

Same sound today

The traditional form 罵 uses 网 (a net) for the meaning and 馬 for the sound; the simplified 骂 is a later shorthand.

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