粘糊糊 (zhān hū hū) — sticky, glutinous; (figurative) slow, sluggish,… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Colloquial adjective meaning literally 'sticky/gooey' (粥, 胶水). Figuratively describes a person who dawdles or is indecisive in action.

adjective

stickyglutinous(figurative) slowsluggishindecisive

Examples

粘糊糊，。
Zhè wǎn zhōu zhǔ dé zhān hū hū de, hěn hǎo hē.
This bowl of porridge is cooked sticky, very tasty.
粘糊糊，。
Tā zuò shì zǒng shì zhān hū hū de, ràng rén zháo jí.
He always does things slowly and sluggishly, which makes people anxious.
粘糊糊，。
Zhè zhǒng jiāo shuǐ mō qǐ lái zhān hū hū de, nián xìng hěn qiáng.
This glue feels sticky, its adhesion is very strong.

Origin

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

糊糊sticky state

糊húpaste糊húpaste

重叠Reduplication

粘 (sticky) gains a glutinous feel from 糊糊, also meaning sluggish.

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.

米占粘

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn粘zhān

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

粘 pairs 米 (rice) with 占, which gives the sound. The 米 part is the rice in glutinous, sticky rice.

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

米胡糊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

胡

胡hú糊hú

Same sound today

糊 pairs 米 (rice) with 胡 (hú), which gives the sound. The 米 part relates to the meaning.

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

米胡糊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

米米mǐrice

Sound part声符shēngfú

胡

胡hú糊hú

Same sound today

糊 pairs 米 (rice) with 胡 (hú), which gives the sound. The 米 part relates to the meaning.

Appears in

Personality & Traits Texture & Quality

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