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责骂 (zé mà) — to scold, to rebuke

Definition

责骂 means to scold or rebuke someone harshly, usually over a mistake. It is a stronger, more formal alternative to 骂 (mà), which is plain 'to scold' in everyday speech.

verb
to scoldto rebuke

Examples

  • 责骂。
    Lǎo shī yán lì dì zé mà le nà ge xué shēng.
    The teacher sternly scolded that student.
  • 责骂。
    Tā yīn wèi gōng zuò shī wù bèi lǎo bǎn zé mà le yí dùn.
    He was scolded by the boss for a work mistake.
  • 责骂。
    Fù mǔ bú yīng gāi zài gōng gòng chǎng hé zé mà hái zi.
    Parents shouldn't scold children in public.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

责zéreproach
骂màscold

责 and 骂 both express reproach and scolding, so together they mean rebuke.

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.

Open 责 →

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 罵; 骂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
网网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
馬
馬mǎ罵mà
Same sound today

The traditional form 罵 uses 网 (a net) for the meaning and 馬 for the sound; the simplified 骂 is a later shorthand.

Open 骂 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechConflict & Agreement

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