撩

liāo, liáo

尞 + 扌

Definitions

liáo (verb) to tease; to flirt; to provoke

liāo (verb) to lift up; to raise; to pull up

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 尞 represents the sound.

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 尞

About

撩 is a phonosemantic compound combining 扌 (hand) to mark a manual action and 尞 to indicate the sound. Its meaning splits into two related actions based on tone. Liāo refers to the concrete gesture of lifting or raising something that hangs down, a curtain, skirt, or cloth. Liáo takes on a figurative sense, meaning to use one's hands to provoke, tease, or stir up a reaction, as if lifting emotions rather than physical fabric.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请不要撩那只小猫。

Qǐng bùyào liáo nà zhī xiǎo māo.

Please don't tease that little cat.

她的笑容很撩人。

Tā de xiàoróng hěn liáorén.

Her smile is very alluring.

他轻轻撩起窗帘。

Tā qīngqīng liāo qǐ chuānglián.

He gently lifts the curtain.

春风撩动她的长发。

Chūnfēng liáodòng tā de cháng fà.

The spring breeze stirs her long hair.

他用话语撩拨她的心弦。

Tā yòng huàyǔ liáobō tā de xīnxián.

He uses words to provoke her heartstrings.

每当夜晚，歌声撩起我的乡愁。

Měi dàng yèwǎn, gēshēng liāo qǐ wǒ de xiāngchóu.

Every night, the singing stirs up my homesickness.

他试图撩她说话，但她保持沉默。

Tā shìtú liáo tā shuōhuà, dàn tā bǎochí chénmò.

He tried to provoke her to speak, but she remained silent.

那部电影的情节撩人心弦，让人回味无穷。

Nà bù diànyǐng de qíngjié liáorén xīnxián, ràng rén huíwèi wúqióng.

The plot of that movie is thrilling and leaves people with endless aftertaste.

Related Characters

Component: 尞

Component: 扌

撩