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没精打采 (méi jīng dǎ cǎi) — listless; in low spirits; dispirited

Definition

An idiom meaning 'listless, drained of energy' — often used to describe someone's mood or demeanor after a setback or while ill. Synonymous in meaning to 垂头丧气 but 没精打采 focuses more on physical sluggishness, while 垂头丧气 emphasizes visible dejection.

idiom
listlessin low spiritsdispirited

Examples

  • 没精打采，？
    Tā jīn tiān zǒng shì méi jīng dǎ cǎi de, shì bu shì shēng bìng le?
    He's been listless all day — is he sick?
  • ，没精打采。
    Shū le bǐ sài hòu, tā méi jīng dǎ cǎi dì zuò zài yǐ zi shàng.
    After losing the match, she sat dispiritedly in the chair.
  • 没精打采，！
    Bié méi jīng dǎ cǎi de, dǎ qǐ jīng shén lái!
    Don't be so low-spirited — perk up!

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

没精no spirit
没méinot have精jīngspirit
动宾Verb + object
打采raise spirits
打dǎraise采cǎispirit
动宾Verb + object

没精 and 打采 both refer to spirit and energy, giving listlessness.

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng精jīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

精 pairs 米 (rice) with 青, which gives the sound; the character originally meant polished rice.

Open 精 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

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 採; 采 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 采 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (采访, 采购) it is 採; in others it is 采.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
采
采cǎi採cǎi
Same sound today

The traditional form 採 combines 扌 (hand) with 采, which gives the sound and means to pick.

Open 采 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsIdioms & Set Phrases

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