闷棍 (mèn gùn) — (noun) a sudden blow with a cudgel; (figurative) a surprise attack or unexpected setback

Definition

A cudgel blow, literally a strike with a heavy stick — used figuratively for a sudden, unexpected attack or setback (e.g. bad news, a surprise loss). Often paired with 记 or 当头一 to emphasize the single, heavy strike.

noun
a sudden blow with a cudgel(figurative) a surprise attack or unexpected setback

Examples

  • 闷棍。
    Tā cóng bèi hòu dǎ le nà rén yí jì mèn gùn.
    He hit that person from behind with a cudgel blow.
  • 闷棍。
    Zhè ge xiāo xi duì tā jiǎn zhí shì dāng tóu yì mèn gùn.
    This news was a sudden blow to him.
  • 闷棍，。
    Gōng sī zài jìng zhēng zhōng āi le yí jì mèn gùn, sǔn shī cǎn zhòng.
    The company suffered a sudden setback in the competition, with heavy losses.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

闷mēnsudden
棍gùncudgel

闷 (sudden or secret) describes the 棍 (cudgel blow), giving a surprise strike.

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 悶; 闷 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén悶mēn
Same sound today

The traditional form 悶 has 門 as a sound part and 心 as a meaning part; the simplified 闷 is a later shorthand.

Open 闷 →

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
昆
昆kūn棍gùn(r)
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

棍 has 木 (tree) beside 昆, which gives its sound.

Open 棍 →

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