土气 (tǔ qì) — (stative verb) countrified, unfashionable, rustic (derogatory); (noun) earth energy; emanations from the soil (in traditional Chinese thought)

Definition

Refers to someone or something that looks unfashionable and countrified — style, clothes, or taste that feels behind the times. Carries a derogatory tone, so use it with care.

noun
(stative verb) countrifiedunfashionablerustic (derogatory)earth energyemanations from the soil (in traditional Chinese thought)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 土气。
    Tā de yī fu hěn tǔ qì.
    His clothes are very rustic.
  • 土气。
    Zhè lǐ yǒu yì gǔ nóng nóng de tǔ qì.
    There is a thick earthiness here.
  • 土气？
    Nǐ jué de zhè ge shè jì tǔ qì ma?
    Do you think this design is unfashionable?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

土tǔearth
气qìqi

土气 suggests 土 'earth' 气 'qi', rustic and unfashionable.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 土 →

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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