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夸大 (kuā dà) — to exaggerate

Definition

夸大 (kuādà) is a verb meaning to exaggerate, focusing on making something seem larger or worse than it really is. Unlike 夸张 (an adjective describing a style), 夸大 specifically frames the act of overstating facts or abilities.

verb
to exaggerate

Examples

  • 夸大。
    Shāng jiā cháng cháng kuā dà chǎn pǐn de gōng xiào.
    Businesses often exaggerate the effectiveness of their products.
  • 夸大。
    Jì zhě bào dào xīn wén shí bú yīng gāi kuā dà shì shí.
    Journalists should not exaggerate facts when reporting news.
  • 夸大。
    Tā yǒu diǎn kuā dà zì jǐ de néng lì.
    He exaggerates his own abilities a bit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

夸kuāenlarge
大dàbig

To 夸 something 大 is to make it seem bigger than it really is.

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
大大dàman
Sound part声符shēngfú
于
于yú夸kuā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

夸 is built from 大, a standing man, above 于, which gives the sound.

Open 夸 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

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

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.