火药味 (huǒ yào wèi) — (literal) smell of gunpowder; (figurative) tens… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'smell of gunpowder,' used figuratively to describe a tense, confrontational atmosphere — between people or in speech/writing. Pairs naturally with 浓/十足 ('thick with …').

noun

(literal) smell of gunpowder(figurative) tenseconfrontational atmospheremilitant tone in speech or writing

Examples

火药味，。
Zhěng gè huì yì shì lǐ huǒ yào wèi shí zú, dà jiā dōu hěn jǐn zhāng.
The whole meeting room was thick with tension; everyone was very nervous.
，。
Zhàn chǎng shàng mí màn zhe huǒ yào wèi, ràng rén nán yǐ hū xī.
The battlefield was filled with the smell of gunpowder, making it hard to breathe.
火药味，。
Tā xiě de wén zhāng huǒ yào wèi hěn nóng, chōng mǎn le gōng jī xìng.
The article he wrote has a strong militant tone, full of aggression.

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.

火药gunpowder

火huǒfire药yàopowder

偏正Modifier + head

The 味 (smell) of 火药 (fire powder), i.e. gunpowder.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

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 藥; 药 is its simplified writing.

艹樂藥

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss

Sound part声符shēngfú

樂

樂lè藥yào

Same sound today

In the traditional form 藥, 艹 shows grass and 樂 gives the sound; this story is about 藥, not about the simplified 药.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

口未味

Meaning part形符xíngfú

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

未

未wèi味wèi

Same sound today

味 combines 口 (mouth) with 未, which gives the sound wèi; the mouth part relates to taste.

Appears in

Conflict & Agreement Military & Defense

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