掛氣（guà qì）

Pronunciation: guà qì

Basic Meaning: to hold a grudge; to bear a grudge

Detailed Explanation: 掛氣 is a Chinese idiom that describes the act of holding onto anger or resentment towards someone. It implies that the person is unable to let go of their negative emotions and continues to harbor a grudge. This idiom is often used to criticize someone who is unwilling to forgive or forget past grievances.

Usage Scenarios: This idiom can be used to describe situations where someone is still angry or resentful towards another person, even after a long time has passed. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Story Origin: The origin of this idiom can be traced back to ancient China. According to legend, during the Warring States period, there was a general named Han Xin who was known for his military prowess. However, he had a reputation for holding grudges against those who had wronged him. It is said that he would often write down the names of his enemies on a piece of paper and hang it up, symbolizing that he was holding onto his anger towards them.

Structure of the Idiom: 掛氣 is a compound idiom composed of two characters. 掛 means "to hang" and 氣 means "anger" or "grudge". Together, they form the meaning of holding a grudge.

Example Sentences:

1. 他一直掛著氣，不肯原諒他的朋友。 (He has been holding a grudge and refuses to forgive his friend.)

2. 她掛著氣過了很多年，始終無法釋懷。 (She held a grudge for many years and could never let go.)

Memory Techniques: To remember the meaning of 掛氣, you can imagine someone hanging a piece of paper with their grievances written on it. This visual image can help you associate the idiom with the concept of holding a grudge.

Extended Learning: To further understand the concept of 掛氣, you can explore related idioms such as 念念不忘 (niàn niàn bù wàng) which means "to remember constantly" or 懷恨在心 (huái hèn zài xīn) which means "to bear a grudge in one's heart".

Example Sentences from Students of Different Age Groups:

1. Primary school student: 我的朋友欺負我，我一直掛著氣，不想和他玩了。(My friend bullied me, and I'm holding a grudge. I don't want to play with him anymore.)

2. Middle school student: 我們班上有兩個同學之間有掛氣，導致他們經常互相冷戰。(There is a grudge between two classmates in our class, which leads to frequent cold wars between them.)

3. High school student: 我的姐姐和我鬧矛盾后，她一直掛氣，不再和我說話。(After a conflict with my sister, she has been holding a grudge and refuses to talk to me anymore.)