阴阳怪气 (yīn yáng guài qì) — (idiom) speaking or acting in a sarcastic, ambiguous, or passive-aggressive manner; snide; insinuating

Definition

Idiom for speaking or acting in a sarcastic, passive-aggressive, snide way — often with a tone that implies more than it says. Used to describe a person's manner (说话阴阳怪气, 那副阴阳怪气的样子), not as a direct insult.

idiom
speaking or acting in a sarcastic, ambiguous, or passive-aggressive mannersnideinsinuating

Examples

  • 阴阳怪气，。
    Tā shuō huà zǒng shì yīn yáng guài qì de, ràng rén tīng le hěn bù shū fu.
    He always speaks in a snide way, making people feel very uncomfortable.
  • ，阴阳怪气。
    Nǐ hǎo hǎo shuō huà, bié yīn yáng guài qì de.
    Speak properly — don't be sarcastic and insinuating.
  • 阴阳怪气。
    Tā zuì tǎo yàn nà zhǒng yīn yáng guài qì de tài dù.
    He hates that kind of passive-aggressive attitude the most.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

阴阳yin and yang
阴yīnyin阳yángyang
联合Side by side
怪气strange air
怪guàistrange气qìair
偏正Modifier + head

阴阳 suggests yin and yang, and 怪气 means strange air; together they paint an odd, hard-to-read manner.

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 陰; 阴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
侌
侌yīn陰yīn
Same sound today

The traditional form 陰 combines 阜, the meaning part, with 侌, the sound part. The simplified 阴 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 阴 →

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 陽; 阳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fùhill
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng陽yáng
Same sound today

In the traditional form 陽, 阜 shows a hill and 昜 is the older character for the word, tied to sunshine and the sound; simplified 阳 is a later shorthand.

Open 阳 →

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
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
圣
圣shèng怪guài
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.

Open 怪 →

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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