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血气 (xuè qì) — vigor, spiritedness (especially of youth); temperament, disposition; courage and uprightness

Definition

Literary word for youthful vigor and spirited courage, often used in the set phrase 血气方刚 ('hot-blooded and headstrong in youth'). A more abstract, written register than everyday 'courage' or 'energy'.

noun
vigorspiritedness (especially of youth)temperamentdispositioncourage and uprightness

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā nián qīng shí xuè qì fāng gāng, zuò shì cóng bù yóu yù.
    When he was young, he was full of vigor and never hesitated in his actions.
  • 血气，。
    Zhè zhǒng xuè qì zhī yǒng suī rán kě jìng, dàn yǒu shí yě xū yào lěng jìng sī kǎo.
    This kind of hot-blooded courage, though admirable, sometimes requires calm reflection.
  • 血气，。
    Yí gè rén yào yǒu xuè qì, dàn gèng yào yǒu zhì huì.
    A person should have vigor, but even more so, wisdom.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

血xuèblood
气qìvital force

"血" and "气" refer to vital bodily forces, giving senses of vigor, temperament, and courage.

Characters in this word

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

  • 一一yīdrop of blood
  • 皿皿mǐncontainer

The shape shows 一, a drop of blood, inside 皿, a container, for blood held in a sacrificial vessel.

Open 血 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsPersonality & Traits

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