忒 (tè) — (dialectal adverb) very; excessively
Definition
忒 (tè) is a colloquial, northern-Chinese intensifier meaning 'too' or 'excessively,' used in casual speech rather than writing. Pairs with adjectives to express excess, close in feel to 太 but more informal.
adverb
(dialectal adverb) veryexcessively
Examples
- 忒，。Zhè ge cài tè là le, wǒ chī bù liǎo.This dish is too spicy, I can't eat it.
- 忒，。Tā pǎo dé tè kuài, wǒ men dōu zhuī bú shàng.He runs so fast that we can't catch up.
- 忒，。Jīn tiān tiān qì tè hǎo, wǒ men chū qù zǒu zǒu ba.The weather is very nice today, let's go out for a walk.
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
弋
弋yì忒tè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
忒 combines 心, the heart/mind, with 弋, which gives the sound.
Appears in
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