财大气粗 (cái dà qì cū) — (idiom) arrogant and overbearing because of one's wealth; to speak loudly with one's financial power

Definition

A chengyu describing people who are arrogant and domineering because they are rich — wealth gives them a sense of entitlement, not just confidence.

idiom
arrogant and overbearing because of one's wealthto speak loudly with one's financial power

Examples

  • 财大气粗，。
    Tā kāi le gōng sī yǐ hòu biàn de cái dà qì cū, shuō huà dōu bǐ yǐ qián dà shēng le.
    After he started his company, he became arrogant with his wealth and spoke louder than before.
  • 财大气粗。
    Nà xiē cái dà qì cū de rén cháng cháng bù bǎ bié rén fàng zài yǎn lǐ.
    Those people who are rich and overbearing often look down on others.
  • 财大气粗，。
    Tā suī rán cái dà qì cū, dàn dà jiā dōu jué de tā méi shén me zhēn běn shì.
    Although he is arrogant because of his wealth, everyone thinks he has no real ability.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

财大wealth large
财cáiwealth大dàlarge
主谓Subject + predicate
气粗spirit coarse
气qìspirit粗cūcoarse
主谓Subject + predicate

When 财 is 大, a person's 气 turns 粗, so wealth makes them speak loudly and act arrogantly.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 財; 财 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell
Sound part声符shēngfú
才
才cái財cái
Same sound today

The traditional form 財 has 貝 (shell) next to 才, which gives the sound; the simplified 财 is a later shorthand.

Open 财 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

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 →

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě粗cū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

粗 pairs 米 (rice), which points to its meaning, with 且, which gives a clue to its sound.

Open 粗 →

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