客气话 (kè qì huà) — polite remarks, courteous words (sometimes insincere)

Definition

Polite or courteous words that may not be fully sincere — a set phrase. Don't confuse with 客气 (the adjective 'polite') or 话 ('words') alone; together they often imply hollow courtesy rather than genuine feeling.

noun
polite remarkscourteous words (sometimes insincere)

Examples

  • 客气话，。
    Tā shuō de dōu shì kè qì huà, nǐ bié tài dàng zhēn.
    Everything he said was just polite remarks; don't take it too seriously.
  • 客气话。
    Jiàn miàn shí hù xiāng shuō jǐ jù kè qì huà shì zhōng guó de xí guàn.
    Exchanging a few polite remarks when meeting is a Chinese custom.
  • 客气话，。
    Tā suī rán zuǐ shàng shuō zhe kè qì huà, dàn xīn lǐ qí shí bú tài gāo xìng.
    Although she said polite words, she was actually not very happy inside.

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.

客气polite
客kèguest气qìmanner
偏正Modifier + head
话huàwords

客 and 气 give a guest-like manner, and 话 means words, so 客气话 denotes polite remarks.

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
宀宀miánroof
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè客kè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 客, 宀 is a roof and 各 gives the sound; the character meant a guest.

Open 客 →

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 →

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 話; 话 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑話huà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 話, 言 relates to words and 𠯑 gives the sound; the simplified 话 is a shorthand, so its right side is not that sound part.

Open 话 →

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