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神氣活現

简神气活现 · 繁神氣活現

Mandarin · pinyin shén qì huó xiàn

arrogant appearance
smug appearance
to act condescending
to put on airs

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Characters in this entry

神: shén · spirit, god, supernatural being
氣: qì · air, gas, steam, vapor; spirit
活: huó · live, exist, survive; lively
現: xiàn · appear, manifest, become visible
气: qì · steam, vapor; Kangxi radical 84
现: xiàn · appear, manifest, become visible

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2–4–2–4 · shen2 qi4 huo2 xian4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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