可憎 (kě zēng) — disgusting, hateful, loathsome | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

adjective

disgustinghatefulloathsome

Examples

可憎。
Tā de xíng wéi zhēn kě zēng.
His behavior is really disgusting.
可憎。
Zhè zhǒng qī piàn shǒu duàn zhēn kě zēng.
This kind of deceptive method is really hateful.
可憎。
Tā nà fù kě zēng de zuǐ liǎn ràng rén yàn wù.
That hateful expression on his face is disgusting.

Origin

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

可kěworthy

“可” gives the sense of being worthy, and “憎” means hate, so the word means hateful.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丂

丂kǎo可kě

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

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

忄曾憎

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīnheart

Sound part声符shēngfú

曾

曾céng憎zēng

Same sound today

The left part 忄, the heart, marks a feeling; the right part 曾 gives the sound.

Appears in

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