够劲儿 (gòu jìn r) — (colloquial) strong, intense, powerful (of alcohol, spiciness, or effort)

Definition

Colloquial adjective for things (alcohol, spice, effort) that are 'strong, intense, potent' — praise for hitting hard. Pure spoken register, not used in writing.

adjective
(colloquial) strongintensepowerful (of alcohol, spiciness, or effort)

Examples

  • 够劲儿，。
    Zhè píng jiǔ zhēn gòu jìn r, wǒ zhī hē le yì bēi jiù yǒu diǎn zuì le.
    This bottle of liquor is really strong; after just one glass I'm a little drunk.
  • 够劲儿，。
    Jīn tiān de gōng zuò tài gòu jìn r le, wǒ lèi dé bù xiǎng dòng.
    Today's work was so intense that I'm too tired to move.
  • 够劲儿，。
    Zhè ge má là huǒ guō hǎo gòu jìn r a, là dé wǒ zhí mào hàn.
    This spicy hotpot is really powerful — it's so spicy I'm sweating.

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.

够劲enough strength
够gòuenough劲jìnstrength
动宾Verb + object
儿ércolloquial ending

够劲儿 says 够 enough and 劲 strength, with 儿 giving a colloquial feel.

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 夠; 够 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
多多duō
Sound part声符shēngfú
句
句jù夠gòu
Same sound today

In the traditional form 夠, 多 is the part tied to the meaning and 句 is the part that gives the sound; the simplified 够 is a later shorthand.

Open 够 →

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 勁; 劲 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng勁jìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 勁 pairs 力, meaning strength, with 巠, which gives the sound; the simplified 劲 is a shorthand and its parts are not the original ones.

Open 劲 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →

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