放屁 (fàng pì) — to fart; (figurative) to talk nonsense, to bull… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'release gas' — means to fart, and figuratively means to talk nonsense or bullshit. The figurative use is a strong, rude dismissal, not a polite tease.

verb

to fart(figurative) to talk nonsenseto bullshit

Examples

。
Tā fàng le yí gè chòu pì.
He let out a stinky fart.
，放屁。
Nǐ bié tīng tā de, tā quán shì zài fàng pì.
Don't listen to him, he's just talking nonsense.
放屁。
Zhè zhǒng shuō fǎ jiǎn zhí shì fàng pì.
This kind of statement is simply bullshit.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

放fàngrelease

放 gives the sense of releasing, and 屁 gives the sense of a fart.

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.

方攵放

Meaning part形符xíngfú

攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng放fàng

Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

尸比屁

Meaning part形符xíngfú

尸尸shībody

Sound part声符shēngfú

比

比bǐ屁pì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

屁 pairs 尸, a body-related mark, with 比, which gives its sound.

Appears in

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