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举重 (jǔ zhòng) — weightlifting (sports)

Definition

举重 (jǔ zhòng) is the sport of weightlifting — lifting heavy barbells. Don't confuse with 体重 ('body weight'): same 重 character, but 举重 is the athletic event, while 体重 is what a scale measures.

noun
weightlifting (sports)
Measure word · 项

Examples

  • 举重。
    Tā shì yì míng zhí yè jǔ zhòng yùn dòng yuán.
    He is a professional weightlifter.
  • 举重。
    Zhè jiè ào yùn huì jǔ zhòng bǐ sài fēi cháng jīng cǎi.
    The weightlifting competition at this Olympics was very exciting.
  • 举重。
    jǔ zhòng Kě yǐ zēng qiáng jī ròu lì liàng.
    Weightlifting can strengthen muscle power.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

举jǔlift
重zhòngweights

举 and 重 combine lifting with weights, so it names the sport of weightlifting.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 舉; 举 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
與
與yǔ舉jǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 舉 pairs 與, which gives the sound, with 手, a hand; the simplified 举 is a later shorthand.

Open 举 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
東
東dōng重zhòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

重 developed from a picture of a man carrying a bag, with 人 for the man and 東 for the bag; a later ground element was folded into the form.

Open 重 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Sports & Athletics

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