下榻 (xià tà) — (formal) to stay, to lodge (especially at a hotel or residence)

Definition

A formal, written verb meaning 'to stay at / lodge in' (a hotel, residence). Used almost exclusively for VIPs, delegations, or honored guests in news or official writing — not for ordinary travelers.

verb
(formal) to stayto lodge (especially at a hotel or residence)

Examples

  • 下榻。
    Dài biǎo tuán yǐ zài běi jīng fàn diàn xià tà.
    The delegation has stayed at the Beijing Hotel.
  • 下榻。
    Zhè wèi guì bīn zài shàng hǎi xià tà yú yì jiā wǔ xīng jí jiǔ diàn.
    This honored guest stayed at a five-star hotel in Shanghai.
  • 。
    Nà wèi kè rén zài zhè lǐ zhī xià guò yí cì tà.
    That guest only stayed here once.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

下xiàput down
榻tàbed

下 means put down and 榻 means bed; putting down a bed suggests lodging.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
𦐇
𦐇𦐇榻tà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

榻 combines 木 (wood) with 𦐇, which gives its sound.

Open 榻 →

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