夸张
kuāzhāng · HSK 7
overact
🎭 夸 boast + 张 stretch = stretch a boast, blow it way out of proportion
夸 — big 大 + on/in 亏 (phonetic)
夸 is a semantic-phonetic compound: 大 ('big') gives the meaning of exaggeration or grandness, while 亏 supplies the sound. Originally it meant to boast or speak grandly, and it still carries senses of 'brag' and 'praise' in modern Chinese.
张 — bow 弓 + long 长 (phonetic)
张 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 弓 (bow) gives the meaning, originally referring to stringing or drawing a bow. The right side 长 supplies the sound. From 'draw a bow' it extended to 'stretch, open, spread,' and is now also a very common surname.