花枪 (huā qiāng) — short spear (historical weapon); trickery; deceitful tactics

Definition

花枪 is a set phrase with two meanings: literally a short spear (weapon), and figuratively 'trickery' in the fixed expression 耍花枪 ('play tricks, be evasive'). It is not used as a general synonym for 欺骗.

noun
short spear (historical weapon)trickerydeceitful tactics
Measure word · 杆
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，花枪。
    Zài gǔ dài, shì bīng cháng yòng huā qiāng zuò zhàn.
    In ancient times, soldiers often used short spears in battle.
  • 花枪，。
    Tā xǐ huan shuǎ huā qiāng, shuō huà cóng lái bù zhí jiē.
    He likes to play tricks and never speaks directly.
  • 花枪，。
    Bié shuǎ huā qiāng le, zhí jiē gào sù wǒ zhēn xiàng ba.
    Stop playing games — just tell me the truth.

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.

花huādecorated/trick
枪qiāngspear

花 suggests a decorated or showy 枪, and the sense later extends to deceitful tactics.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà花
Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

Open 花 →

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 槍; 枪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
倉
倉cāng槍qiāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 槍 pairs 木 (wood) with 倉 as a sound part; the simplified 枪 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 枪 →

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