稀泥 (xī ní) — thin mud (literal); (figurative, in 和稀泥) a compromising or fence-sitting attitude used to avoid taking a stand

Definition

Rare on its own — 稀泥 is almost always used inside the set phrase 和稀泥 ('smooth mud over'), meaning to paper over a conflict by refusing to take sides. Literally it just means thin, watery mud.

noun
thin mud (literal)(figurative, in 和稀泥) a compromising or fence-sitting attitude used to avoid taking a stand
Easily confused

Examples

  • 稀泥，。
    Dì shàng yǒu xī ní, xiǎo xīn huá dǎo.
    There's thin mud on the ground — be careful not to slip.
  • 稀泥，。
    Tā yù dào máo dùn jiù zhī huì huò xī ní, cóng lái bù biǎo míng lì chǎng.
    When faced with a conflict, he just smooths things over by not taking sides and never states his position.
  • 稀泥，。
    Bié huò xī ní le, zhè jiàn shì bì xū shuō qīng chǔ.
    Stop compromising — we need to be clear about this matter.

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.

稀xīthin
泥nímud

The 稀 thin quality describes the 泥 mud, giving thin mud.

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
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
希
希xī稀
Same sound today

稀 has 禾 (grain) beside 希, and 希 gives the character its sound.

Open 稀 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
尼
尼ní泥nì
Same sound today

The left side is 氵, the water part; the right side is 尼, which gives the sound.

Open 泥 →

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