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闹别扭 (nào biè niu) — to have a petty quarrel; to be at odds with someone (over something trivial)

Definition

A colloquial verb for having a petty, sulky tiff — often over something trivial, not a serious fight. Usually used between people who know each other well (couples, friends, family).

verb
to have a petty quarrelto be at odds with someone (over something trivial)

Examples

  • 闹别扭。
    Tā men liǎ yòu nào biè niu le.
    The two of them are at odds again.
  • ，。
    Tā men nào le yí cì biè niu, xiàn zài yǐ jīng hé hǎo le.
    They had a tiff once, but they've already made up.
  • ，闹别扭。
    Yǒu shén me shì hǎo hǎo shuō, bié nào biè niu.
    Whatever the issue is, talk it out nicely — don't quarrel.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

闹nàomake trouble
别扭awkwardness
别biéawkward扭niǔtwisted
联合Coordinate

闹 means to make trouble, and 别扭 means awkwardness, so it describes a petty quarrel.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鬧; 闹 is its simplified writing.

  • 鬥鬥dòuto fight
  • 市市shìmarket; town

The traditional form 鬧 combines 鬥 (to fight) and 市 (market; town) to mean noisy.

Open 闹 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 別; 别 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 別 pairs 冎 (bone) with 刀 (knife), showing a knife cutting up bone and flesh. The simplified 别 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 别 →

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丑
丑chǒu扭niǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

扭 has 手 (hand) beside 丑. The 手 part shows that the meaning involves a hand action, and 丑 gives the sound.

Open 扭 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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