真格 (zhēn gé) — (noun) real action; the genuine thing (most com… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

真格 is a noun that almost never stands alone — it appears in fixed phrases like 动真格 ('get serious, take real action') and 说真格的 ('seriously, in earnest') to stress that something is genuine, not a joke.

noun

real actionthe genuine thing (most commonly in the phrases 动真格 and 说真格的)

Examples

真格，。
Zhè cì gōng sī shì dòng zhēn gé le, měi tiān dōu yào jiā bān.
This time the company is getting serious; everyone has to work overtime every day.
，真格。
Nǐ bié kāi wán xiào, wǒ shì zài shuō zhēn gé de.
Don't joke around; I'm being serious.
，真格。
Tā píng shí zǒng ài chuī niú, dàn zhè cì tā dòng le zhēn gé.
He usually likes to brag, but this time he got serious.

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.

真 (real) describes the kind of 格 (form), yielding the genuine thing.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèicowrie; shell

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠂈

𠂈𠂈真zhēn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

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

木各格

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè格gé

Same sound today

格 is built from 木 (wood) on the left and 各 on the right, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Abstract Concepts

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