下跪 (xià guì) — to kneel down

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning to kneel down, often done as a formal gesture of respect, submission, or to beg for mercy. Less common than 跪 (guì) alone in everyday speech.

verb
to kneel down

Examples

  • 下跪。
    Tā zài fó xiàng qián xià guì qí dǎo.
    He knelt down before the Buddha statue and prayed.
  • 下跪。
    Gǔ dài chén zǐ jiàn dào huáng dì bì xū xià guì.
    In ancient times, ministers had to kneel down when they saw the emperor.
  • 下跪，。
    Tā xià guì qiú ráo, xī wàng duì fāng yuán liàng tā.
    He knelt down and begged for mercy, hoping the other party would forgive him.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

下xiàdown
跪guìkneel

下 (down) + 跪 (kneel) means to kneel downward.

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
危
危wēi跪guì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

跪 pairs 足 (foot) with 危, whose shape can be seen as a person kneeling on the ground.

Open 跪 →

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