临盆 (lín pén) — to be in labor (giving birth)

Definition

A formal/literary verb meaning a woman is in the process of giving birth. Most common in writing; everyday speech usually says 生孩子 or 分娩.

verb

to be in labor (giving birth)

临盆。
Tā zuó tiān xià wǔ kāi shǐ lín pén.
She started labor yesterday afternoon.
临盆。
Tā yǐ jīng lín pén le shí gè xiǎo shí le.
She has been in labor for ten hours now.
，。
Wǒ jiě jie lín guò yí cì pén, guò chéng hěn shùn lì.
My older sister has been in labor once, and the process went smoothly.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

临línapproach

临 “approach” + 盆 “basin” evokes coming to the delivery basin, hence being in labor.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 臨; 临 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 臨, 人 is a person, 臣 is an eye, and 品 is objects, showing a person looking down at objects.

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

分皿盆

Meaning part形符xíngfú

皿皿mǐn

Sound part声符shēngfú

分

分fēn盆pén(r)

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

盆 pairs 分, which gives the sound, with 皿, a vessel, to indicate a basin or tub.