满腹牢骚 (mǎn fù láo sāo) — to be full of complaints, to grumble incessantly

Definition

Literally 'a belly full of grievances': describes someone who is constantly grumbling and dissatisfied with everything. More literary and intense than everyday 抱怨.

idiom
to be full of complaintsto grumble incessantly

Examples

  • 满腹牢骚，。
    Tā zhěng tiān mǎn fù láo sāo, shén me shì dōu bù mǎn yì.
    He's full of complaints all day, not satisfied with anything.
  • 满腹牢骚，。
    Tā yòu zài mǎn fù láo sāo, shuō gōng sī dài yù bù hǎo.
    She's grumbling again, saying the company's treatment is bad.
  • 满腹牢骚，。
    Tā zuì jìn zǒng shì mǎn fù láo sāo, dà jiā dōu bù xǐ huan gēn tā liáo tiān.
    He's often full of complaints lately; nobody likes to chat with him.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

满腹full belly
满mǎnfull腹fùbelly
偏正Modifier + head
牢骚complaints
牢láogrievance骚sāocomplaint
联合Side by side

满腹 gives a full belly, while 牢骚 are complaints.

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 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

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
肉肉ròumeat; flesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù腹⁰fù
Same sound today

The left part 肉, meaning flesh, shows this is a body part, and the right part 复 gives the sound.

Open 腹 →

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

  • 宀宀miánpen; animal yard
  • 牛牛niúcow

牢 places 牛, a cow, under 宀, a pen or animal yard.

Open 牢 →

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 騷; 骚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
蚤
蚤zǎo騷sāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 騷 pairs 馬 (horse) with 蚤 as a sound component; the simplified 骚 is a shorthand.

Open 骚 →

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