辱骂 (rǔ mà) — to verbally abuse, to revile

Definition

A strong, formal verb meaning 'to verbally abuse, to revile' — heavier than 骂, which is the everyday word for 'to scold/curse'. Often collocates with 遭到 (遭到辱骂 'to suffer verbal abuse').

verb
to verbally abuseto revile

Examples

  • 辱骂。
    Tā jīng cháng yòng cū huà rǔ mà tóng shì.
    He often uses foul language to verbally abuse his colleagues.
  • 辱骂。
    Zài wǎng shàng rǔ mà tā rén shì bú dào dé de xíng wéi.
    Verbally abusing others online is unethical behavior.
  • 辱骂,。
    Miàn duì rǔ mà, tā xuǎn zé le chén mò.
    Facing verbal abuse, she chose to remain silent.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

辱rǔinsult
骂màscold

辱 (insult) and 骂 (scold) form verbal abuse.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

辱 combines 辰, drawn as a hoe, with 寸, drawn as a hand.

Open 辱 →

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
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 →

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