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耍滑 (shuǎ huá) — to shirk work, to goldbrick, to malinger (colloquial)

Definition

Colloquial verb meaning to shirk work or dodge responsibility through tricks. Often used with 耍滑头, and more casual/spoken than formal alternatives like 逃避.

verb
to shirk workto goldbrickto malinger (colloquial)

Examples

  • 耍滑，。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan shuǎ huá, bǎ gōng zuò tuī gěi bié rén.
    He always likes to shirk work and push it onto others.
  • ，。
    Nǐ bié zài wǒ miàn qián shuǎ shén me huá, wǒ dōu zhī dào.
    Don't try to shirk in front of me; I know everything.
  • 耍滑。
    Tā yīn wèi jīng cháng shuǎ huá bèi lǎo bǎn pī píng le.
    He was criticized by the boss because he often shirked work.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

耍shuǎplay
滑huáslippery

耍 is play and 滑 is slippery, so slippery tricks are used to shirk work.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 耍 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
骨
骨gǔ滑huá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

滑 pairs 水 (water) with 骨, which gives the sound.

Open 滑 →
Appears in
Workplace & Office

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