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流行语 (liú xíng yǔ) — buzzword, popular expression

Definition

A '流行语' is a word or phrase that is briefly fashionable — a buzzword, viral saying, or meme of the moment. Unlike 词语 (a general word) or 俗语 (a folk saying), it specifically refers to language tied to a current trend.

noun
buzzwordpopular expression

Examples

  • 流行语。
    Zhè ge liú xíng yǔ jīn nián hěn liú xíng.
    This buzzword is very popular this year.
  • 流行语。
    Wǎng luò liú xíng yǔ gēng xīn dé hěn kuài.
    Internet buzzwords update very quickly.
  • 流行语？
    Nǐ zhī dào zuì xīn de liú xíng yǔ shì shén me ma?
    Do you know what the latest buzzword is?

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.

流行popular
流liúflow行xínggo
联合Coordinate
语yǔword

流行 means spread or popular, and 语 is a word, together naming a buzzword.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →

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

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →

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 語; 语 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú語yǔ
Same sound today

The form 語 pairs 言 (speech) with 吾, which gives the sound; this note is about 語, not 语.

Open 语 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechLanguage

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