芥蒂 (jiè dì) — (figurative) grudge, ill feeling, barrier (in a relationship)

Definition

芥蒂 (gài) names a lingering emotional barrier or unspoken grudge between people — not a small annoyance, but something that takes open communication to clear. Almost always appears with 消除 or 心里有.

noun
(figurative) grudgeill feelingbarrier (in a relationship)

Examples

  • 芥蒂。
    Tā men zhī jiān zǎo jiù méi yǒu jiè dì le.
    There are no hard feelings between them anymore.
  • 芥蒂。
    Zhè jiàn shì ràng tā xīn lǐ yì zhí yǒu jiè dì.
    This matter has left a lingering grudge in his heart.
  • ，芥蒂。
    Jīng guò tǎn chéng gōu tōng, liǎng rén zhōng yú xiāo chú le jiè dì.
    After honest communication, the two finally cleared up their ill feelings.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

芥jiè
蒂dì

The characters 芥蒂 together denote lingering resentment; neither carries its own meaning here.

Sound-only characters

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
艸艸cǎograss, plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
介
介jiè芥⁰jiè
Same sound today

芥 uses 艸 (grass, plant) to show it is a type of plant, with 介 pointing to its sound.

Open 芥 →

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
帝
帝dì蒂dì
Same sound today

The top 艸 marks a plant, and the lower 帝 gives the sound.

Open 蒂 →

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