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倒数 (dào shǔ) — to count down (time); to count from the bottom (position/ranking)

Definition

倒数 (dào shǔ) covers two senses: 'count down' (time) and 'count from the bottom' (ranking, lines). It is the verb form; 倒计时 is the noun phrase specifically for a countdown timer or the activity as a named event.

verb
to count down (time)to count from the bottom (position/ranking)

Examples

  • 倒数。
    Dà jiā kāi shǐ dào shǔ shí miǎo.
    Everyone starts counting down ten seconds.
  • 倒数。
    Tā de chéng jì zài bān lǐ dào shǔ dì sān.
    His grade is third from the bottom in the class.
  • 倒数。
    Qǐng cóng dào shǔ dì èr háng kāi shǐ dú.
    Please start reading from the second line from the bottom.

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.

倒dǎobackwards
数shùcount

倒 means backwards, and 数 means to count; together they mean to count backwards.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
到
到dào倒dào
Same sound today

倒 combines 亻 (person) with 到, which gives the sound.

Open 倒 →

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu數shù(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →
Appears in
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