顶撞 (dǐng zhuàng) — to talk back to or contradict (a superior/elder) in a disrespectful manner

Definition

A strong verb meaning to talk back to or contradict a superior (boss, teacher, parents) in a rude, defiant way — carries clear disrespect, not just disagreement.

verb
to talk back to or contradict (a superior/elder) in a disrespectful manner

Examples

  • 顶撞。
    Hái zi bù néng suí biàn dǐng zhuàng fù mǔ.
    Children shouldn't casually talk back to their parents.
  • 顶撞。
    Tā yīn wèi dǐng zhuàng lǎo bǎn bèi kāi chú le.
    He was fired for talking back to the boss.
  • 顶撞。
    Xué shēng zhè yàng dǐng zhuàng lǎo shī shì bú duì de.
    It's wrong for a student to talk back to the teacher like that.

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.

顶dǐngpush back
撞zhuàngbump

顶 (push back) and 撞 (bump) combine to suggest talking back disrespectfully.

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 頂; 顶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng頂dǐng
Same sound today

The traditional form 頂 pairs 頁, meaning head, with 丁, which supplies the sound; the simplified 顶 is a later abbreviation.

Open 顶 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
童
童tóng撞zhuàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 扌 is the hand radical, written in full as 手, and the right side 童 supplies the sound.

Open 撞 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechConflict & Agreement

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