没治 (méi zhì) — hopeless, incurable, beyond help; (slang) awesome, unbeatable, fantastic

Definition

Colloquial slang with two opposite senses: literally 'incurable / hopeless' (a person or situation beyond help), or, as praise, 'unbeatable, awesome'. The tone of the situation decides which.

hopelessincurablebeyond help(slang) awesomeunbeatablefantastic

Examples

  • 没治，。
    Tā zhè ge rén zhēn méi zhì, zuò shén me shì qing dōu zuò bù hǎo.
    This guy is hopeless; he can't do anything well.
  • 没治，！
    Nǐ de biǎo yǎn zhēn shì méi zhì le, tài jīng cǎi le!
    Your performance was unbeatable, so brilliant!
  • 没治，。
    Zhè ge bìng rén yǐ jīng méi zhì le, yī shēng yě méi yǒu bàn fǎ le.
    This patient is beyond hope; even the doctors don't have any way.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

没méinot have
治zhìcure

没 (not have) and 治 (cure) build no cure, hence hopeless.

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 沒; 没 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠬛
𠬛𠬛沒mò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 沒 pairs 水 (water) with 𠬛 as a sound part; this note is about 沒, not the simplified 没.

Open 没 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
台
台tái治zhì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

治 has 水 (water) and 台; 台 gives the sound, and the character named a river.

Open 治 →

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