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飘飘然 (piāo piāo rán) — smug, complacent (often after small success); feeling euphoric, exhilarated, light-headed

Definition

飘飘然 describes a smug, self-satisfied glow after a small win — used in warnings ('don't get ∼') more than in praise. Often bound, with 的 after a person/thing and 了 or 的 after the verb.

bound form
smugcomplacent (often after small success)feeling euphoricexhilaratedlight-headed

Examples

  • 飘飘然，。
    Tā gāng shēng zhí jiù piāo piāo rán le, duì tóng shì tài dù ào màn.
    He became smug as soon as he got promoted, treating colleagues arrogantly.
  • ，飘飘然。
    Tīng dào tā de zàn měi, tā gǎn dào yí zhèn piāo piāo rán.
    Hearing her praise, he felt a wave of euphoria.
  • 飘飘然，。
    Bié yīn wèi yì diǎn chéng jì jiù piāo piāo rán, lù hái cháng zhe ne.
    Don't get complacent over a small achievement — there's still a long way to go.

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.

飘飘floating
飘piāofloat飘piāofloat
重叠Reduplication
然ránstate

The 飘 part gives a floating lightness, and 然 frames that as a state, yielding smug or euphoric feeling.

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 飄; 飘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
風風fēngwind
Sound part声符shēngfú
票
票piào飄piāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 飄 uses 票 for the sound and 風 for wind; the simplified 飘 is a shorthand.

Open 飘 →

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 飄; 飘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
風風fēngwind
Sound part声符shēngfú
票
票piào飄piāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 飄 uses 票 for the sound and 風 for wind; the simplified 飘 is a shorthand.

Open 飘 →

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
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
肰
肰rán然rán
Same sound today

然 is made from 肰, which gives the sound, and 火, which shows fire, matching the old sense 'to burn'.

Open 然 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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