嗲声嗲气 (diǎ shēng diǎ qì) — coy; coquettish; speaking or acting in a deliberately cute, affected way

Definition

Describes speaking in an affected, cutesy, coquettish way — usually deliberate and can sound unnatural or cloying. Often carries a slightly negative tone of 'acting cute'.

verb
coycoquettishspeaking or acting in a deliberately cute, affected way

Examples

  • 嗲声嗲气，。
    Tā shuō huà zǒng shì diǎ shēng diǎ qì de, ràng rén yǒu diǎn bù xí guàn.
    She always speaks in a coy, coquettish tone, which makes people a bit uncomfortable.
  • 嗲声嗲气，。
    Bié diǎ shēng diǎ qì dì gēn wǒ jiǎng huà, zhèng jīng diǎn.
    Don't talk to me in that whiny, coquettish way — be serious.
  • 嗲声嗲气，。
    Diàn yǐng lǐ nà ge nǚ jué sè gù yì diǎ shēng diǎ qì, xiǎn de hěn zuò zuò.
    The female character in the movie deliberately acted coy and coquettish, which came across as very affected.

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.

嗲声coy voice
嗲diǎcoy声shēngvoice
偏正Modifier + head
嗲气coy manner
嗲diǎcoy气qìmanner
偏正Modifier + head

嗲声 (coy voice) and 嗲气 (coy manner) stand together to describe affected coquettishness.

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
爹
爹diē嗲diǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

嗲 combines 口 (mouth) with 爹, the part that gives the sound diē.

Open 嗲 →

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 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
殸
殸qìng聲shēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
爹
爹diē嗲diǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

嗲 combines 口 (mouth) with 爹, the part that gives the sound diē.

Open 嗲 →

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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