挨骂 (ái mà) — to get scolded, to be criticized | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

挨骂 (ái mà) means 'to get scolded' — the focus is on RECEIVING a scolding, not on giving one. It is a separable verb: 挨 + measure word + 骂 (e.g. 挨了一顿骂).

verb

to get scoldedto be criticized

Examples

挨骂。
Tā yīn wèi chí dào ái mà le.
He got scolded for being late.
。
Xiǎo shí hou wǒ jīng cháng āi mā ma de mà.
When I was young, I often got scolded by my mom.
。
Tā āi le yí dùn mà cái gǎi de.
He changed only after getting a scolding.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

挨āisuffer

'挨' suffer and '骂' scold combine to mean suffering a scolding.

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.

扌矣挨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒu

Sound part声符shēngfú

矣

矣yǐ挨āi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

挨 pairs 扌, the hand form 手, with 矣, which gives the sound.

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 罵; 骂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

馬

馬mǎ罵mà

Same sound today

The traditional form 罵 uses 网 (a net) for the meaning and 馬 for the sound; the simplified 骂 is a later shorthand.

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