德行 (dé xíng) — (noun) moral integrity, virtuous conduct; (noun, colloquial) annoying or contemptible behavior; the nerve or audacity (used in disapproval or teasing)
Definition
In formal writing, 德行 (déxíng) means 'moral integrity / virtuous conduct' — a bookish, dignified word close in register to 品德 and 道德. In casual speech it flips to a sarcastic 'what nerve!' / 'shameful behavior,' used to scold or tease.
noun
moral integrityvirtuous conduct(noun, colloquial) annoying or contemptible behaviorthe nerve or audacity (used in disapproval or teasing)
Examples
- 德行。Yí gè rén de dé xíng bǐ tā de cái fù gèng zhòng yào.A person's moral integrity is more important than their wealth.
- ，德行！Kǎo zhè me diǎn fēn, kàn nǐ nà dé xíng!You got such low marks — look at you!
- ，德行。Tā jū rán sā huǎng, zhēn shì dé xíng yǒu wèn tí.He actually lied — there's definitely something wrong with his character.
Origin
Appears in
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