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热气腾腾 (rè qì téng téng) — piping hot (of food); (of an atmosphere) seething with activity, bustling

Definition

A vivid four-character idiom (chéngyǔ) for 'piping hot' (food) or 'buzzing with energy' (a scene). Pairs with food or lively atmospheres to convey heat and liveliness in one image.

idiom
piping hot (of food)(of an atmosphere) seething with activitybustling

Examples

  • ，热气腾腾，。
    Zhè wǎn miàn gāng chū guō, rè qì téng téng de, kuài chī ba.
    This bowl of noodles just came out of the pot, it's piping hot — eat up.
  • 热气腾腾，。
    Gōng dì shàng rè qì téng téng, gōng rén men dōu zài jǐn zhāng dì gōng zuò.
    The construction site is bustling with activity, and the workers are all busy.
  • ，热气腾腾，。
    Jié rì guǎng chǎng shàng rén shān rén hǎi, rè qì téng téng de, chōng mǎn huān shēng xiào yǔ.
    The festive square is packed with people, bustling with energy and filled with laughter.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

热气hot steam
热rèhot气qìsteam/air
偏正Modifier + head
腾腾steaming
腾téngrise腾téngrise
重叠Reduplication

热气 is the hot steam, and 腾腾 gives its rising, bubbling appearance, so it means piping hot.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

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 →

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 騰; 腾 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
朕
朕zhèn騰téng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 騰 pairs 馬 (horse) with 朕 as a sound part; it described a horse's gallop or prance. The simplified 腾 is a later shorthand.

Open 腾 →

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 騰; 腾 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
朕
朕zhèn騰téng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 騰 pairs 馬 (horse) with 朕 as a sound part; it described a horse's gallop or prance. The simplified 腾 is a later shorthand.

Open 腾 →
Appears in
Food (General)Idioms & Set Phrases

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