责怪 (zé guài) — to blame; to rebuke | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

责怪 is 'to blame / rebuke' someone for a fault. Close to 责备 (more formal, often written) and stronger than 埋怨 (which can mean just complaining).

verb

to blameto rebuke

责怪。
Tā zé guài wǒ méi àn shí wán chéng gōng zuò.
He blamed me for not finishing the work on time.
责怪。
Fù mǔ bú yīng gāi zǒng shì zé guài hái zi.
Parents shouldn't always blame their children.
责怪。
Tā yīn wèi zì jǐ fàn le cuò ér zé guài zì jǐ.
She blamed herself for making a mistake.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

责 means blame and 怪 means blame, so 责怪 is to reproach.

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 責; 责 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèicowry; money

Sound part声符shēngfú

朿

朿cì責zé

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 責 pairs 貝, cowry/money, with 朿 as the sound part; the simplified 责 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

忄圣怪

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

圣

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

怪 is built from 忄, a form of 心, which relates to mind or feeling, and 圣, which gives the sound.

Appears in