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赌气 (dǔ qì) — to act out of spite or in a fit of pique (because one feels wronged)

Definition

赌气 (dǔ qì) is a verb meaning to act out of spite or sulk because you feel wronged — the action is the point, not the anger itself. Often used with 一…就… ('the moment… then…') for an impulsive reaction.

verb
to act out of spite or in a fit of pique (because one feels wronged)

Examples

  • 赌气，。
    Tā gēn nán péng you dǔ qì, yì zhěng tiān bù shuō huà.
    She was in a huff with her boyfriend and didn't speak all day.
  • ？。
    Nǐ dǔ shén me qì? yǒu huà hǎo hǎo shuō.
    What are you sulking about? Let's talk it out properly.
  • ，赌气。
    Tā yīn wèi méi bèi xuǎn shàng, yì dǔ qì jiù cí zhí le.
    Because he wasn't selected, he quit his job in a fit of pique.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

赌dǔbet
气qìanger

To bet one's anger gives the sense of acting out of spite.

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 賭; 赌 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě賭dǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賭 combines 貝 (shell; money) with 者, and this shape expresses the meaning to wager or to bet. The simplified 赌 is a shorthand.

Open 赌 →

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
Emotions & Feelings

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