矫揉造作 (jiǎo róu zào zuò) — affected, artificial, pretentious (of behavior, speech, or style)

Definition

Idiom for behavior, speech, or style that is forced and fake — trying to impress. Stronger and more literary than 'unnatural'.

idiom
affectedartificialpretentious (of behavior, speech, or style)

Examples

  • 矫揉造作，。
    Tā de biǎo yǎn tài guò jiǎo róu zào zuò, guān zhòng yì yǎn jiù néng kàn chū lái.
    Her performance was too affected — the audience could tell at a glance.
  • 矫揉造作，。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng yǔ yán jiǎo róu zào zuò, dú qǐ lái hěn bú zì rán.
    This article's language is pretentious and reads very unnaturally.
  • ，矫揉造作。
    Tā shuō huà shí zǒng ài yòng yì xiē shēng pì cí, xiǎn de shí fēn jiǎo róu zào zuò.
    He always likes to use obscure words when speaking, which makes him seem very affected.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

矫揉straighten and knead
矫jiǎostraighten揉róuknead
联合Side by side
造作make and do
造zàomake作zuòdo
联合Side by side

矫揉 suggests forcing, and 造作 suggests making.

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 矯; 矫 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
矢矢shǐarrow
Sound part声符shēngfú
喬
喬qiáo矯jiǎo
Same sound today

The traditional 矯 pairs 矢 (arrow) with 喬 as a sound part; 矢 shows straightening like an arrow shaft. The simplified 矫 is a later abbreviation.

Open 矫 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
柔
柔róu揉róu
Same sound today

The hand part 手 shows it is an action done with the hand, and 柔 gives the sound.

Open 揉 →

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
辵辵chuòto walk
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
屮
屮chè造zào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Its origin is unclear, but early forms of 造 include 辵 (to walk) and 口, with 屮 as a sound part, and mean go or arrive.

Open 造 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →

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