不冷不热 (bù lěng bú rè) — neither hot nor cold; lukewarm (temperature); indifferent; lukewarm (attitude or response)

Definition

Literally 'not cold not hot': used for physical temperature (lukewarm) and, metaphorically, for a half-hearted, indifferent attitude toward people or ideas.

verb
neither hot nor coldlukewarm (temperature)indifferentlukewarm (attitude or response)

Examples

  • 不冷不热，。
    Zhè bēi shuǐ bù lěng bú rè de, zhèng hǎo kě yǐ hē.
    This glass of water is neither hot nor cold — just right to drink.
  • 不冷不热，。
    Tā duì zhè ge jiàn yì de tài dù bù lěng bú rè, méi shén me rè qíng.
    His attitude toward this suggestion was lukewarm, without much enthusiasm.
  • 不冷不热，。
    Qiū tiān tiān qì bù lěng bú rè, zuì shì hé chū qù wán le.
    In autumn the weather is neither hot nor cold — perfect for going out to play.

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.

不冷not cold
不bùnot冷lěngcold
偏正Modifier + head
不热not hot
不bùnot热rèhot
偏正Modifier + head

不冷 and 不热 together mean not cold and not hot, giving a lukewarm sense.

Characters in this word

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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
冫Written in full as仌bīngice
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng冷lěng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

冷 uses 冫, the ice form, with 令 as a sound part, to mean cold as ice.

Open 冷 →

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

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

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