1. Character Basics
2. Pronunciation
3. Meaning
- To praise, to compliment
- To brag, to boast
- To exaggerate
4. Common Words
5. Grammar & Usage
The character "夸" is most commonly used as a verb meaning "to praise" or "to compliment". It can also have a negative connotation of "to brag" or "to exaggerate" when used in certain contexts.
老师夸奖了他的努力。(Lǎoshī kuājiǎngle tā de nǔlì.) - The teacher praised his efforts.
不要总是自夸你的成就。(Bùyào zǒngshì zìkuā nǐ de chéngjiù.) - Don't always brag about your achievements.
他说话太夸张了。(Tā shuōhuà tài kuāzhāng le.) - He speaks too exaggeratedly.
这个数据被夸大了。(Zhège shùjù bèi kuādà le.) - This data has been exaggerated.
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, giving and receiving praise is an important social interaction. However, there is also a cultural emphasis on modesty, so bragging or boasting is generally considered impolite. The character "夸" reflects this duality - it can mean positive praise but also carries the negative connotation of excessive or unwarranted boasting.
Historically, the character "夸" was associated with the idea of "expansion" or "enlargement", which evolved into the meanings of "exaggeration" and later "praise". This reflects how language evolves to capture complex social interactions and values.
7. Example Sentence
妈妈夸奖我做的菜很好吃。
Mom praised the dish I cooked as very delicious.
8. Memory Tips
To remember the character "夸", look at its structure: it consists of "大" (dà, big) and "亏" (kuī, loss). You can imagine someone making a big (大) deal out of something, which might be praise or might be bragging. The pronunciation "kuā" is similar to "跨" (kuà, to stride) but with a different tone.
Another way to remember it is to associate it with the phrase "夸奖" (kuājiǎng, to praise) and think of a scenario where someone is giving you positive feedback.