Meanings of 揶
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About 揶
Podcast: 揶
Podcast: 揶
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AI Study Notes for 揶
揶 (yé) vs 嘲 (cháo) — use 揶 for light-hearted teasing, while 嘲 implies a more scornful or mocking tone.
When using 揶, be careful about the tone; it can be playful or sarcastic, depending on context. It is more commonly used in informal settings rather than formal speech. A common collocation is 揶揄 (yéyú), which specifically means to tease or ridicule.
Although 揶 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it shares roots with other characters related to gestures and communication, like 握 (wò, to grasp) or 拍 (pāi, to pat). Students should focus on recognizing the character in context and understanding its playful connotation.
Learners often confuse 揶 with more serious terms for ridicule, like 嘲笑 (cháoxiào). For instance, saying 揶 when referring to a serious criticism is incorrect; use 嘲笑 instead to convey a harsher tone.
Pronunciation of 揶
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Etymology of 揶
Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 耶 represents the sound.
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Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 揶
Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 耶 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half耶 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayhand
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 揶? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 揶
Identify the Components
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How to say to ridicule, to poke fun at in Chinese
“to ridicule, to poke fun at” in Chinese is揶
The character 揶 (yé) primarily means to ridicule or poke fun at someone. It is often used in contexts where someone is teasing, jesting, or making light of a situation, usually in a playful manner. The nuance can suggest a light-hearted mockery rather than harsh criticism.
When to use 揶
When using 揶, be careful about the tone; it can be playful or sarcastic, depending on context. It is more commonly used in informal settings rather than formal speech. A common collocation is 揶揄 (yéyú), which specifically means to tease or ridicule.
揶 or something close to it
揶 (yé) vs 嘲 (cháo) — use 揶 for light-hearted teasing, while 嘲 implies a more scornful or mocking tone.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 揶 with more serious terms for ridicule, like 嘲笑 (cháoxiào). For instance, saying 揶 when referring to a serious criticism is incorrect; use 嘲笑 instead to convey a harsher tone.
Write 揶
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Practice writing 揶 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 揶
揶 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
“你一定是在等哪位小伙子吧，”她____揄道。
"You must be expecting a young man," she teased.
Example Sentences for 揶 (2)
Word Family of 揶
Compound Meaning
What does 揶揄 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 揶
No, 揶 is typically used in informal contexts and is not appropriate for formal writing.
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