嗤 (chī) — to sneer (at)
Definition
嗤 is a literary/classical verb used almost only in the set phrases 嗤笑 and 嗤之以鼻, meaning to sneer or laugh mockingly. Rare in modern speech; learners encounter it chiefly in 成语 and formal writing.
verb
to sneer (at)
Examples
- ，嗤。Tā tīng le zhè huà, zhǐ shì chī le yī shēng.He just sneered upon hearing this.
- ，。Tā chī xiào le yī shēng, méi shuō huà.She gave a sneering laugh and didn't say anything.
- 。Duì bié rén de nǔ lì chī zhī yǐ bí shì hěn bù lǐ mào de.It's very impolite to sneer at others' efforts.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
蚩
蚩chī嗤chī
Same sound today
嗤 pairs 口 (mouth) with 蚩, which gives its sound. The 口 part shows the sneer is something done with the mouth.
Appears in
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