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戏弄 (xì nòng) — to make fun of; to tease; to play tricks on

Definition

戏弄 means to tease or play tricks on someone deliberately, often to embarrass them. It implies persistent or targeted mockery, stronger than just joking around.

verb
to make fun ofto teaseto play tricks on

Examples

  • 戏弄，。
    Bié xì nòng tā le, tā huì shēng qì de.
    Don't make fun of him; he'll get angry.
  • 戏弄。
    Tā men zǒng shì xì nòng nà ge xīn tóng xué.
    They always tease that new student.
  • 戏弄，。
    Tā jīng cháng xì nòng tóng shì, dà jiā dōu bù gāo xìng.
    He often makes fun of his colleagues, and everyone is unhappy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

戏xìplay or tease
弄nònghandle or trick

戏 means play or tease and 弄 means handle or trick; together they mean to tease or make fun of someone.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 戲; 戏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戈戈gēhalberd
Sound part声符shēngfú
䖒
䖒䖒戲xì
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 戲, the shape combines 戈 (halberd) with 䖒, which gives the sound; the word originally meant an army's wing or flank. The simplified 戏 is a later shorthand, not the form described here.

Open 戏 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 弄 combines 玉 (jade) with 廾 (hands), showing hands touching or handling jade.

Open 弄 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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