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胖乎乎 (pàng hū hū) — chubby (in an endearing way, often describing babies, animals, or soft things)

Definition

An endearing, colloquial adjective for round and soft 'chubbiness' — typically used for babies, small animals, or cuddly things. Softer and more affectionate than the clinical 肥胖.

adjective
chubby (in an endearing way, often describing babies, animals, or soft things)

Examples

  • 胖乎乎，。
    Zhè ge xiǎo bǎo bao cháng dé pàng hū hū de, zhēn kě ài.
    This little baby is chubby and really cute.
  • 胖乎乎，。
    Nà zhī xiǎo māo pàng hū hū de, bào qǐ lái hěn shū fu.
    That little cat is chubby and feels soft to hold.
  • 胖乎乎，。
    Tā de xiǎo shǒu pàng hū hū de, xiàng gè xiǎo mán tou.
    His little hands are chubby, like small steamed buns.

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.

胖pàngchubby
乎乎softening sound
乎hūsound乎hūsound

胖 (chubby) is made soft and endearing by the 乎乎 sound.

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
肉肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
半
半bàn胖pán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

胖 pairs 肉, which relates to flesh or the body, with 半, which gives a clue to the sound.

Open 胖 →

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

  • 丂丂kǎobranch

The old 乎 paired an element for wind or air with 丂, a branch used as a sound part, and was the original form of the word for 'to call; to cry'.

Open 乎 →

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

  • 丂丂kǎobranch

The old 乎 paired an element for wind or air with 丂, a branch used as a sound part, and was the original form of the word for 'to call; to cry'.

Open 乎 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Appearance

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.