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憋气 (biē qì) — (verb-object) to feel suffocated (physically, e.g., from holding breath or poor air); (verb-object) to feel oppressed or choke with resentment (emotionally)

Definition

憋气 is a verb-object word meaning 'to hold one's breath' (physically) or 'to feel choked with anger/resentment' (emotionally). The emotional sense implies suppressed feelings — the common remedy is to speak them out (说出来).

verb
(verb-object) to feel suffocated (physically, e.g., from holding breath or poor air)(verb-object) to feel oppressed or choke with resentment (emotionally)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zài shuǐ lǐ biē le hěn cháng shí jiān de qì.
    He held his breath in the water for a very long time.
  • ，。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā xīn lǐ hěn biē qì.
    Hearing this news, he felt very oppressed/resentful inside.
  • ，。
    Bié biē qì le, shuō chū lái ba.
    Don't hold it in, just say it out.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

憋biēhold/suppress
气qìbreath

“憋” (hold/suppress) and “气” (breath) describe feeling suffocated or oppressed.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
敝
敝bì憋biē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

憋 puts 心 (heart) under 敝; 敝 gives the sound.

Open 憋 →

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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