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号称 (hào chēng) — to be known as (neutral); to claim (often exaggeratedly or falsely)

Definition

Used when the name or title is a claim, not a verified fact — often implying exaggeration or falsehood. Distinct from 叫作 / 称为 / 称作, which state the real, accepted name.

verb
to be known as (neutral)to claim (often exaggeratedly or falsely)

Examples

  • 号称。
    Zhè ge dì qū hào chēng yú mǐ zhī xiāng.
    This region is known as the land of fish and rice.
  • 号称，。
    Tā hào chēng yǒu shí nián jīng yàn, qí shí cái liǎng nián.
    He claims to have ten years of experience, but actually it's only two.
  • 号称，。
    Nà jiā cān tīng hào chēng mǐ qí lín sān xīng, wèi dào què hěn yì bān.
    That restaurant claims to be a three-Michelin-star place, but the food is just average.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

号hàocall/name
称chēngcall

号 “call/name” and 称 “call” are parallel, so the word means to be called or to claim.

Characters in this word

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

  • 口口kǒumouth
  • 丂丂kǎoexhaled air; a tiger's cry

The shape 号 comes from 口, a mouth, and 丂, exhaled air or a tiger's cry.

Open 号 →

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 稱; 称 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
爯
爯chēng稱chēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 稱 pairs 禾 (rice) with 爯, a part giving the sound; it is explained as measuring rice. The simplified 称 is a later shorthand.

Open 称 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Communication & Speech

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