小报告 (xiǎo bào gào) — secret complaint or gossip reported to a superior behind someone's back; snitching

Definition

A 小报告 is a secret complaint — a "tattletale report" made to a boss about a colleague behind that person's back. It always implies a negative, gossipy act; contrast with 报告, which is a neutral work report.

noun
secret complaint or gossip reported to a superior behind someone's backsnitching

Examples

  • 小报告，。
    Tā xǐ huan gěi lǐng dǎo dǎ xiǎo bào gào, tóng shì dōu bù xǐ huan tā.
    He likes to snitch to the boss, so his colleagues don't like him.
  • 小报告，。
    Bié zài bèi hòu dǎ xiǎo bào gào, yǒu shén me huà dāng miàn shuō.
    Don't make secret complaints behind people's backs; say whatever you have to say to their face.
  • 小报告，。
    Tā yīn wèi bèi dǎ le xiǎo bào gào, shī qù le jìn shēng jī huì.
    She lost her promotion opportunity because someone snitched on her.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

小xiǎosmall
报告report
报bàoreport告gàotell
联合Side by side

小 marks it as minor or covert, and 报告 refers to a report or complaint.

Characters in this word

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

  • 八八bāto divide; to separate
  • 丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

Open 小 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

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

The origin is unclear: one theory sees 告 as 壴 (a decorated drum) above 口 (an open mouth), while another sees a tongue sticking out of 口.

Open 告 →

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