酸溜溜 (suān liū liū) — sour and tart (of taste); tingling or aching (of physical sensation); sad, mournful, or jealous (of emotion); sharp-tongued or pedantic (of speech)

Definition

A vivid bound form meaning 'sour/tart to the taste', but most often used figuratively for a jealous, resentful, or sharp-tongued feeling — typically before 的 to modify how something looks, tastes, or feels.

bound form
sour and tart (of taste)tingling or aching (of physical sensation)sadmournfulor jealous (of emotion)sharp-tongued or pedantic (of speech)

Examples

  • 酸溜溜，。
    Zhè ge cù hē qǐ lái suān liū liū de, zhēn kāi wèi.
    This vinegar tastes sour and tart — it really whets the appetite.
  • ，酸溜溜，。
    Pǎo le wǔ gōng lǐ, wǒ de tuǐ suān liū liū de, kuài zǒu bú dòng le.
    After running five kilometers, my legs are aching and I can barely walk.
  • ，酸溜溜，。
    Kàn dào bié rén huò jiǎng, tā xīn lǐ suān liū liū de, yǒu diǎn jí dù.
    Seeing others win awards, he felt a bit sour inside — a little jealous.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

酸suānsour
溜溜
溜liū溜liū
重叠Reduplication

酸 expresses sourness, while the two 溜 add a lingering, intensified sensory tone.

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
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
夋
夋qūn酸suān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酸 is built from 酉 and 夋, and 夋 gives the sound.

Open 酸 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
留
留liú溜liù
Same sound today

The left part 氵 shows water; the right part 留 gives the sound. The evidence connects 溜 to a river name.

Open 溜 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
留
留liú溜liù
Same sound today

The left part 氵 shows water; the right part 留 gives the sound. The evidence connects 溜 to a river name.

Open 溜 →

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