素昧平生 (sù mèi píng shēng) — (idiom) have never met before; be a complete stranger

Definition

Literary idiom meaning 'have never met (someone) before' — a formal, written alternative to plain 陌生. Use it for a stranger, often with a sense of distance or unfamiliarity.

idiom
have never met beforebe a complete stranger

Examples

  • 素昧平生，。
    Wǒ hé tā sù mèi píng shēng, dàn liáo dé hěn kāi xīn.
    I have never met him before, but we chatted happily.
  • 素昧平生，。
    Suī rán wǒ men sù mèi píng shēng, dàn wǒ fēi cháng xiāng xìn nǐ.
    Although we have never met before, I really trust you.
  • 素昧平生，。
    Tā yǔ nà wèi xiān sheng sù mèi píng shēng, bù kě néng yǒu hé zuò.
    He and that gentleman have never met before; it's impossible for them to cooperate.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

Open 素 →

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
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
未
未wèi昧mèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape 昧 combines 日 (sun; day) with 未, which gives a clue to its sound.

Open 昧 →

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

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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