耍花招 (shuǎ huā zhāo) — to play tricks; to deceive; (of performers) to… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

An informal verb meaning 'to play tricks' or 'show off a flashy skill.' Sense 1 (deceive/manipulate) is most common — sense 2 (performer's display) is narrower.

verb

to play tricksto deceive(of performers) to show off a special skill

Examples

耍花招。
Tā zǒng ài shuǎ huā zhāo piàn rén.
He always likes to play tricks to deceive people.
。
Tā xǐ huan shuǎ xiǎo huā zhāo.
He likes to play petty tricks.
耍花招，。
Tā zài wǔ tái shàng shuǎ huā zhāo, yíng dé le zhǎng shēng.
He showed off his tricks on stage and won applause.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

花招trick

花huāfancy招zhāomove

偏正Modifier + head

耍 (play) with 花 (fancy) and 招 (move) describes playing tricks.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

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

艹化花

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

化

Same sound today

花 pairs 艹 (grass; plant) with 化, which gives the sound.

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

扌召招

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

召

召zhào招zhāo

Same sound today

招 pairs 扌, the hand part, with 召, which gives the sound, to show beckoning with the hand.

Appears in

Idioms & Set Phrases

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