卖弄
mài nong · HSK 7
to show off
💰🤹 卖弄 = 卖 (sell) + 弄 (fiddle/play with) — peddling your tricks to show off
卖 means to sell and 弄 means to fiddle with or play around with. Together they describe someone selling their skills to onlookers, i.e. flaunting or making a display of what they can do.
卖 — top 十 + 买 (buy) below
卖 means 'to sell' and is the simplified form of 賣. Historically it pairs 出 (out) over 買 (buy), suggesting goods going out in exchange — the opposite of buying. The simplified shape keeps 买 (buy) underneath with 十 on top as a reduced marker.
弄 — 廾 (two hands) + 玉 (jade)
Originally a pictograph of two hands holding a piece of jade, showing someone playing with or handling a precious object. The meaning extended from 'to play with' to 'to handle, manipulate, or do.' Today it commonly means to do, make, or fool around with something.