吹嘘 (chuī xū) — to boast, to brag | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

吹嘘 means to boast or brag, often with exaggeration and a negative tone — implies the claims are empty or untrue. Used for both oneself and others.

verb

to boastto brag

吹嘘。
Tā xǐ huan zài péng you miàn qián chuī xū zì jǐ de chéng jiù.
He likes to boast about his achievements in front of friends.
吹嘘，。
Bié chuī xū le, wǒ men dōu zhī dào zhēn xiàng.
Stop boasting, we all know the truth.
吹嘘，。
Tā chuī xū zì jǐ huì wǔ zhǒng yǔ yán, qí shí zhī huì liǎng zhǒng.
He boasted that he can speak five languages, but actually only two.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

Both parts mean blowing or exhaling air, extended to puffing oneself up and boasting.

Characters in this word

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

口欠吹

吹 pairs 口 (mouth) with 欠 (blow), giving the picture of air being blown from the mouth.

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 噓; 嘘 is its simplified writing.

口虛噓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

虛

虛xū噓xū

Same sound today

The traditional form 噓 combines 口, showing the mouth, with 虛 for sound and a sense of emptiness. The simplified 嘘 is a later shorthand.

Appears in