娇纵 (jiāo zòng) — to indulge, to pamper (usually a child)

Definition

Stronger and more negative than 宠 — 娇纵 implies spoiling to the point of harm, so the child becomes willful or unable to function.

verb

to indulgeto pamper (usually a child)

娇纵，。
Fù mǔ bù néng tài jiāo zòng hái zi, fǒu zé huì hài le tā men.
Parents shouldn't spoil their children too much, or it will harm them.
娇纵，。
Tā cóng xiǎo bèi jiāo zòng huài le, xiàn zài shén me dōu bú huì zuò.
She was spoiled rotten since childhood and now doesn't know how to do anything.
娇纵。
Guò dù jiāo zòng de ér tóng wǎng wǎng quē fá zì lǜ.
Overindulged children often lack self-discipline.

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.

娇jiāospoil/pamper

纵zòngindulge/let loose

Both 娇 and 纵 carry indulgence: 娇 spoils tenderly, while 纵 lets the child run loose.

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 嬌; 娇 is its simplified writing.

女喬嬌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

女女nǚwoman

Sound part声符shēngfú

喬

喬qiáo嬌jiāo

Same sound today

The traditional form 嬌 has 女 (woman) beside 喬, which gave the sound; the simplified 娇 is a shorthand.

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 縱; 纵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

從

從cóng縱zòng

Same sound today

The traditional form 縱 pairs the 糸 part with 從 as a sound part; the simplified 纵 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.