生气

• Pinyin: shēng qì
• Hanzi breakdown: 生 = to produce/generate; 气 = simplified from 氣, originally depicting rising steam or vapour, meaning air or energy

Meaning

To get angry; to be upset. The most common expression for becoming angry.

A verb-object compound for being or becoming angry. Very common in daily conversation. Often used with 了 to indicate a state change: 生气了 (got angry). Can take an object showing who you're angry at using 跟...生气 or 对...生气. The degree can be modified: 很生气 (very angry), 有点儿生气 (a little angry).

Examples

1. 妈妈生气了。 Mom got angry.
2. 请不要生气。 Please don't be angry.
3. 他为什么生气？ Why is he angry?

Usage Guide

Context: emotions, everyday

Tone: emotional

Do Say

• 别生气了。(Don't be angry anymore.)
• 她为这件事很生气。(She is very angry about this.)

Don't Say

• 我生气你。(Wrong structure — say 我跟你生气 or 我对你生气, using a preposition before the person)

Origin & History

A verb-object compound of 生 (to produce/generate) and 气 (anger/air/energy), literally meaning 'to produce anger.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal