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冷淡 (lěng dàn) — (adjective) cold, indifferent (in attitude, manner, or atmosphere); (verb) to treat coldly; to give (someone) a cold reception

Definition

Describes a cold, indifferent attitude or reception toward people. As a verb (别冷淡了…) it means to snub or neglect someone — close to 冷落 but more about an emotional chill than active neglect.

adjective
coldindifferent (in attitude, manner, or atmosphere)
verb
to treat coldlyto give (someone) a cold reception

Examples

  • 冷淡，。
    Tā de tài dù hěn lěng dàn, bù xiǎng gēn wǒ shuō huà.
    His attitude is very cold; he doesn't want to talk to me.
  • 冷淡。
    Bié lěng dàn le nǐ de péng you.
    Don't treat your friend coldly.
  • 冷淡，。
    Lǎo bǎn lěng dàn le suǒ yǒu yuán gōng, dà jiā dōu yǒu yì jiàn.
    The boss was cold to all the employees, and everyone had complaints.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

冷lěngcold
淡dànbland

Both 冷 and 淡 suggest lack of warmth or interest, so together they mean cold and indifferent.

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
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 →

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
炎
炎yán淡dàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

淡 puts 氵 (water) beside 炎, which gives the sound yán.

Open 淡 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Personality & Traits

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