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出格 (chū gē) — to go too far, to overstep the bounds of propriety; to be out of the ordinary, to stand out

Definition

Literally 'step out of the frame': means behaving beyond proper limits OR standing out as unconventional. The first sense is negative (improper); the second is positive (striking, original).

verb
to go too far, to overstep the bounds of proprietyto be out of the ordinaryto stand out

Examples

  • 出格，。
    Tā shuō huà tài chū gē le, dà jiā dōu shēng qì le.
    He spoke too far out of line; everyone got angry.
  • 出格，。
    Tā de shè jì hěn chū gē, ràng rén yǎn qián yí liàng.
    Her design is very unconventional; it makes people's eyes light up.
  • ，。
    Tā zhè cì kě chū le gé, jū rán gǎn gēn lǎo bǎn dǐng zuǐ.
    This time he really overstepped, daring to talk back to the boss.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

出chūgo out
格géframe

出 means 'go out' and 格 means 'frame', so the word is to go beyond what is proper.

Characters in this word

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

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Open 出 →

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
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè格gé
Same sound today

格 is built from 木 (wood) on the left and 各 on the right, which gives the sound.

Open 格 →
Appears in
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