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暧昧关系 (ài mèi guān jì) — an ambiguous romantic relationship; an affair (often extramarital)

Definition

A euphemistic phrase for a romantic relationship that is not officially acknowledged — often implying infidelity or emotional cheating between two people, at least one of whom is married.

noun
an ambiguous romantic relationshipan affair (often extramarital)

Examples

  • 暧昧关系。
    Tā hé tā tóng shì zhī jiān yǒu yì zhǒng ài mèi guān jì.
    He has an ambiguous relationship with his colleague.
  • 暧昧关系。
    Tā huái yí zhàng fu yǒu ài mèi guān jì.
    She suspects her husband is having an affair.
  • 暧昧关系。
    Zhè zhǒng ài mèi guān jì zuì zhōng dǎo zhì le tā men de lí hūn.
    This ambiguous relationship eventually led to their divorce.

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.

暧昧unclear, hidden
暧àidim/unclear昧mèiobscure/hidden
联合Coordinate
关系connection
关guānconnection系xìtie
联合Coordinate

“暧昧” (unclear, hidden) gives “关系” (connection) a secret, improper sense.

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 曖; 暧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
愛
愛ài曖ài
Same sound today

The traditional form 曖 is made of 日 (sun), which gives the meaning, and 愛, which gives the sound; this explanation is about 曖, not about the parts of the simplified 暧.

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
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
未
未wèi昧mèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape 昧 combines 日 (sun; day) with 未, which gives a clue to its sound.

Open 昧 →

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 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →

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

系 is made by putting together 手 (hand) and 糸 (silk).

Open 系 →
Appears in
Romance & Marriage

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