血气方刚 (xuè qì fāng gāng) — full of youthful vigor; young and energetic | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A four-character idiom for a young person's peak of energy and drive. It carries a mildly cautionary tone — used when the vigor leads to impulsiveness — rather than pure praise.

idiom

full of youthful vigoryoung and energetic

Examples

血气方刚，。
Zhè xiē xuè qì fāng gāng de xiǎo huǒ zi, gān qǐ huó lái bù zhī pí juàn.
These young lads, full of youthful vigor, work without knowing fatigue.
血气方刚，。
Tā nà shí xuè qì fāng gāng, zuò shén me dōu yǒu shǐ bù wán de jìn.
He was full of youthful vigor back then, with boundless energy for whatever he did.
血气方刚，。
Nián qīng rén xuè qì fāng gāng shì hǎo shì, dàn yě yào zhù yì tīng qǔ zhǎng bèi de jiàn yì.
It's good for young people to be full of vigor, but they should also pay attention to advice from elders.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

血气blood and vital energy

血xuèblood气qìvital energy

联合Coordinate

方刚just strong

方fāngjust刚gāngstrong

偏正Modifier + head

血气 (blood and vital energy) 方刚 (just strong) pictures youthful vigor.

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.

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.

气米氣

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.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 剛; 刚 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 剛 was made by combining a picture-like sign with a sign that gave its sound; the simplified 刚 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

Idioms & Set Phrases Life Stages & Age

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