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轻佻 (qīng tiāo) — frivolous; flippant; (of speech or manner) light and improper

Definition

Adjective for behavior or speech that is giddy and shallow, showing a lack of seriousness or propriety — often about someone's attitude, not a single act.

adjective
frivolousflippant(of speech or manner) light and improper

Examples

  • 轻佻，。
    Tā de jǔ zhǐ hěn qīng tiāo, ràng rén fǎn gǎn.
    His manner is frivolous, which puts people off.
  • 轻佻，。
    Shuō huà bú yào tài qīng tiāo, yào yán sù yì diǎn.
    Don't speak so flippantly; be a bit more serious.
  • 轻佻。
    Tā bù xǐ huan nà zhǒng qīng tiāo de nán hái.
    She doesn't like that kind of frivolous boy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

轻qīnglight
佻tiāofrivolous

轻 means light and 佻 means frivolous, and the two similar meanings join to describe improper lightness.

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 輕; 轻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng輕qīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輕 pairs 車, a carriage, with 巠 to give the sound; it originally named a light carriage. The simplified 轻 is only a later shorthand.

Open 轻 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 佻 →
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