生氣

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

生⫽氣 (verb-object)

1. to be angry; to get upset; to be mad

   你為這生氣哦。／你为这生气哦。  ―  Nǐ wèi zhè shēngqì ò.  ―  So that's what you're upset about?

   我不是生她的氣，而是生自己的氣。 [MSC, trad.]
   我不是生她的气，而是生自己的气。 [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ bùshì shēng tā de qì, érshì shēng zìjǐ de qì. [Pinyin]

   I'm not angry with her, but I'm angry with myself.

   就為這麼一點兒事兒生氣，值當的嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
   就为这么一点儿事儿生气，值当的吗？ [MSC, simp.]

   Jiù wèi zhème yīdiǎnr shìr shēngqì, zhídàng de ma? [Pinyin]

   Is it worth getting angry over such a little thing?

To say "to be angry with somebody", put somebody + 的 (de) in between 生氣: for example 生她的氣 means "to be angry with her".

生氣

1. life; vitality; animation

   • 有以文人畫士孤癖之隱明告鬻槑者：斫其正，養其㫄條，刪其密，夭其稺枝，鋤其直，遏其生气，以求重價，而江浙之槑皆病。文人畫士之禍之烈至此哉！ [Literary Chinese, trad.]
     有以文人画士孤癖之隐明告鬻梅者：斫其正，养其旁条，删其密，夭其稚枝，锄其直，遏其生气，以求重价，而江浙之梅皆病。文人画士之祸之烈至此哉！ [Literary Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1839, 龔自珍 (Gong Zizhen),《病槑館記》(The Hall of Sick Plum Trees)

     Yǒu yǐ wénrén huàshì gūpǐ zhī yǐn mínggào yù méi zhě: zhuó qí zhèng, yǎng qí páng tiáo, shān qí mì, yāo qí zhì zhī, chú qí zhí, è qí shēngqì, yǐ qiú zhòngjià, ér Jiāng-Zhè zhī méi jiē bìng. Wénrén huàshì zhī huò zhī liè zhì cǐ zāi! [Pinyin]

     Someone succeeded in making clear to plum florists the secret eccentricity of the literati and painters and in urging them to prune, erect sprigs, fostering lateral branches, to do away with dense parts, cutting off tender slips and, in addition, to eliminate straight stems, choking their sap and vitality, so as to seek a high price. As a consequence, all the plum trees in Jiangsu and Zhejiang have become sick. The mischief done by the literati and artists can be as serious as that!

• 死氣／死气 (sǐqì)

生氣

1. (Hokkien) having an unpleasant, wild taste (of cooked food)
2. (Xiamen Hokkien) rigid and unamiable
3. (Quanzhou Hokkien) rash and lacking in common sense

生氣

1. (Xiamen Hokkien) to make trouble; to create a disturbance

生氣

1. (Hong Kong Cantonese) intake gas (of a vehicle)

• 死氣／死气