掌嘴 (zhǎng zuǐ) — to slap (someone's) face (as a punishment or in anger)

Definition

掌嘴 is a vivid verb meaning to slap someone across the face, usually as punishment or out of anger. It is stronger and more violent than 打, which is the general word for hitting.

verb
to slap (someone's) face (as a punishment or in anger)

Examples

  • 掌嘴。
    Tā shēng qì dì zhǎng zuǐ le nà ge rén.
    He angrily slapped that person's face.
  • ，掌嘴。
    Zài gǔ dài, zhǎng zuǐ shì yì zhǒng cháng jiàn de chéng fá.
    In ancient times, face-slapping was a common punishment.
  • 。
    Tā bèi zhǎng le liǎng zuǐ.
    He was slapped twice on the face.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

掌zhǎngpalm
嘴zuǐmouth

The palm 掌 strikes the mouth 嘴, giving the idea of slapping someone's face.

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
手手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng掌zhǎng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

It combines 手, meaning hand, with 尚, which gives it a sound close to shàng.

Open 掌 →

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
觜
觜zī嘴
Same sound today

嘴 pairs 口 (mouth) with 觜, which supplies its sound.

Open 嘴 →

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