戏称 (xì chēng) — to jokingly call (someone something), to give a playful nickname

Definition

戏称 (xì chēng) means to give someone or something a playful, jokey nickname or label — a fixed verb, not a casual synonym for 说 ('say'). Often used in 被/是 constructions, e.g. 被戏称为 'jokingly called'.

verb
to jokingly call (someone something)to give a playful nickname

Examples

  • ，戏称“”。
    Tā yīn wèi gè zi gāo, bèi tóng xué men xì chēng wèi "cháng jǐng lù".
    Because he's tall, his classmates jokingly call him 'giraffe'.
  • 戏称“”，。
    Zhè ge chéng shì xì chēng wèi "bú yè chéng", yīn wèi wǎn shàng yě hěn rè nao.
    This city is jokingly called the 'city that never sleeps' because it's lively at night too.
  • ，戏称“”。
    Tā zǒng ài áo yè, péng you men xì chēng tā shì "yè māo zi".
    She always stays up late, so her friends jokingly call her a 'night owl'.

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.

戏xìplay
称chēngcall

戏 gives the sense of play or joking, while 称 means to call, together meaning to call jokingly.

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 →

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 稱; 称 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
爯
爯chēng稱chēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 稱 pairs 禾 (rice) with 爯, a part giving the sound; it is explained as measuring rice. The simplified 称 is a later shorthand.

Open 称 →

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