tooironic Posted April 9, 2013 at 02:51 PM Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 at 02:51 PM My Chinese-Chinese dictionary defines 娇气 as: ①形性格脆弱，吃不得苦，受不得委屈。 这孩子太娇气，说他两句就受不了。 Any ideas on an English translation? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
li3wei1 Posted April 9, 2013 at 02:55 PM Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 at 02:55 PM hyper-sensitive, or oversensitive, or in the right context, just sensitive. high(ly)-strung? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted April 9, 2013 at 03:33 PM Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 at 03:33 PM I think it is the same as 嬌生慣養. Pleco gives "pampered and spoiled". I suggest "spoiled". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter2010 Posted April 9, 2013 at 04:27 PM Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 at 04:27 PM “fragile” comes first in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gato Posted April 9, 2013 at 10:47 PM Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 at 10:47 PM I agree with skylee. The translation would be vary depending on how it is used, but "spoiled" is probably the most common usage, like when you are describing a child, or a girl I am surprised the ABC Dictionary doesn't have "spoiled" in its definitions: 娇气[嬌氣] ¹jiāoqì S.V. ① fragile; delicate ② squeamish; finicky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tooironic Posted April 9, 2013 at 11:14 PM Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 at 11:14 PM I think this is an example where most C-E dictionaries have it wrong. Describing someone as "fragile" or "delicate" sounds decidely antiquated to my ears, and "squeamish" and "finicky" and are just plain wrong as far as I can see. Check out their Oxford dictionary definitions: squeamish: (of a person) easily made to feel sick, faint, or disgusted, esp. by unpleasant images, such as the sight of blood: he was a bit squeamish at the sight of the giant needles. • (of a person) having strong moral views; scrupulous: she was not squeamish about using her social influence in support of her son. finicky: (of a person) fussy about one's needs or requirements: a finicky eater. • showing or requiring great attention to detail: a finicky, almost fetishistic collector. Now, do those concepts have anything to do with 娇气? "Sensitive" (having a quick appreciation of others' feelings/easily upset) and "highly strung" (very nervous and easily upset) seem inaccurate. I think "spoiled" is fine as a reference translation, but technically that refers to 宠坏, which is only one part of 娇气, the other part being the 吃不得苦，受不得委屈 part. *Sigh*. Thanks anyway for the suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gato Posted April 9, 2013 at 11:24 PM Report Share Posted April 9, 2013 at 11:24 PM Squeamish and finicky could be appropriate, depending on the usage. Maybe not as a translation, but they do fit with the 不能吃苦 part of the meaning. Spoiled does also connote 不能吃苦, so I think it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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