呵 hē to scold
How to remember 呵: 口 mouth + 可 may = to scold. Grandma opens her mouth when the toddler asks if he may eat a third cookie, but she is far too sweet to scold.
Component breakdown
呵 = 口 mouth + 可 may
- 口 mouth
- 可 may
- 丁 nail
- 口 mouth
Grandma opens her mouth when the toddler asks if he may eat a third cookie, but she is far too sweet to scold.
How it is used
- Doubled 呵呵 (hēhē) is a ubiquitous chat-message laugh - but tone matters: online it often reads as cold, dismissive, or sarcastic, not warm.
- 呵护 (hēhù) = to cherish and protect tenderly - 精心呵护 to care for lovingly.
- Original sense 'to scold/breathe out' survives in 呵斥 (hēchì) to berate. So it spans a fake laugh, tender care, and a scolding.