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闹心 (nào xīn) — annoyed, vexed, bothered (by something that won't let go); queasy, sick to one's stomach

Definition

Adjective meaning both 'annoyed / vexed' (about something persistent) and 'nauseated, queasy in the stomach'. One word, two feelings — a recurring irritation or a sick-to-the-stomach sensation.

adjective
annoyedvexedbothered (by something that won't let go)queasysick to one's stomach

Examples

  • 闹心。
    Zhè jiàn shì yì zhí ràng wǒ hěn nào xīn.
    This matter has been bothering me constantly.
  • ，闹心。
    Zuò chē de shí hou yùn chē, xīn lǐ tè bié nào xīn.
    When I get carsick, I feel really queasy inside.
  • ，闹心。
    Bié shuō le, yuè shuō yuè nào xīn.
    Stop talking about it — the more you say, the more annoyed I get.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

闹nàotrouble
心xīnheart

闹 means to trouble or disturb, and 心 is the heart or mind, so the phrase gives the sense of being troubled inside.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鬧; 闹 is its simplified writing.

  • 鬥鬥dòuto fight
  • 市市shìmarket; town

The traditional form 鬧 combines 鬥 (to fight) and 市 (market; town) to mean noisy.

Open 闹 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsIllness & Symptoms

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