神气活现 (shén qì huó xiàn) — (idiom) smug and arrogant; behaving with excessive pride and showing off

Definition

An idiom for acting smug and show-off-ish, strutting with exaggerated self-importance after a small win. Carries a stronger, more mocking tone than plain 'proud'.

idiom
smug and arrogantbehaving with excessive pride and showing off

Examples

  • 神气活现，。
    Tā yíng le bǐ sài hòu jiù shén qì huó xiàn de, ràng rén hěn bù shū fu.
    After he won the match, he became so cocky that it made people uncomfortable.
  • 神气活现，。
    Bié nà me shén qì huó xiàn, qiān xū yì diǎn cái néng jìn bù.
    Don't be so smug; stay humble if you want to improve.
  • ，神气活现。
    Tā kǎo le dì yī míng, jiù shén qì huó xiàn dì zài tóng xué miàn qián xuàn yào.
    After getting first place, he strutted around showing off in front of his classmates.

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.

神气spirit/air
神shénspirit气qìair
联合Side by side
活现vividly appear
活huóvividly现xiànappear
偏正Modifier + head

'神气' is the air shown and '活现' vividly appears, giving a cocky impression.

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑活huó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

Open 活 →

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 現; 现 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
見
見jiàn現
Same sound today

The traditional form 現 pairs 玉 (jade) with 見 as a sound part; the simplified 现 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 现 →

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