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朝气蓬勃 (zhāo qì péng bó) — full of youthful energy, vigorous and energetic

Definition

An idiom describing someone (often young people) bursting with lively, youthful vigor — stronger and more vivid than 积极 ('positive/active') or 起劲 ('enthusiastic in the moment'). It modifies a person or atmosphere, not a single action.

phrase
full of youthful energyvigorous and energetic

Examples

  • 朝气蓬勃，。
    Zhè xiē dà xué shēng gè gè zhāo qì péng bó, duì wèi lái chōng mǎn xī wàng.
    These college students are all full of youthful energy and full of hope for the future.
  • ，朝气蓬勃。
    Suī rán tā yǐ jīng wǔ shí suì le, dàn kàn qǐ lái hái shì nà me zhāo qì péng bó.
    Although he is already fifty years old, he still looks so vigorous and energetic.
  • 朝气蓬勃，。
    Bǐ sài chǎng shàng zhāo qì péng bó de qì fen, ràng suǒ yǒu rén dōu shòu dào le gǎn rǎn.
    The atmosphere of youthful vitality on the competition field infected everyone.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

Originally, 朝 showed the sun rising above the ground while the moon was still in the sky, giving the sense of morning.

Open 朝 →

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
艸艸cǎovegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
逢
逢féng蓬péng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蓬 pairs 艸 (vegetation) with 逢, which gives the sound.

Open 蓬 →

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
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
孛
孛bèi勃⁰bó
Same sound today

勃 pairs 力, which carries the sense of power or force, with 孛 as a sound part.

Open 勃 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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