成气候 (chéng qì hòu) — to make good, to succeed, to become a significant figure or force

Definition

成气候 means 'to amount to something, to become a real force' — usually used in the negative 成不了气候 ('won't get anywhere'). It emphasizes growing into a significant person or thing, unlike plain 成功 which just means a single success.

verb
to make good, to succeed, to become a significant figure or force

Examples

  • ，成气候。
    Tā zhè me nián qīng jiù chuàng yè chéng gōng, jiāng lái yí dìng néng chéng qì hòu.
    He started a business so young and succeeded; he's bound to make good in the future.
  • ，。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī guǎn lǐ hùn luàn, kěn dìng chéng bù liǎo qì hòu.
    This company has chaotic management; it definitely won't get anywhere.
  • ，。
    Nǐ gāng xué le yì nián zhōng wén, hái chéng bù liǎo shén me qì hòu.
    You've only studied Chinese for a year; you haven't become much of a force yet.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

成chéngbecome
气候climate
气qìair候hòuseason
联合Side by side

成 means to form or become, and 气候 is climate, so the whole means to become a significant force.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
矦
矦hóu候hòu
Same sound today

候 combines 亻, relating to people, with 矦, which gives the sound.

Open 候 →

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