冲刺 (chōng cì) — (sports) to sprint, to dash; to make a final push (toward a goal as a deadline approaches)

Definition

冲刺 is a 'final sprint' — both the literal sports dash at the end of a race and the figurative last push before a deadline. Unlike the broader 冲 (to charge/flush), it specifically implies the closing stretch, not a fresh start.

verb
(sports) to sprintto dashto make a final push (toward a goal as a deadline approaches)

Examples

  • 冲刺
    Tā zài zuì hòu yì bǎi mǐ fèn lì chōng cì, yíng dé le bǐ sài.
    He sprinted hard in the last hundred meters and won the race.
  • 冲刺
    Wèi le qī mò kǎo shì, tā měi tiān chōng cì dào shēn yè.
    To prepare for the final exams, she makes a big effort every day until late at night.
  • 冲刺
    Nián dǐ dào le, dà jiā dōu zài wèi wán chéng mù biāo chōng cì.
    Year-end is here, everyone is sprinting to reach their goals.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

thrust

冲 (dash) and 刺 (thrust) combine into a sudden forward burst, as in a sprint.

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 衝; 冲 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 冲 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (冲, 冲动) it is 衝; in others (冲) it is 沖.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhòngchōng
Same sound today

The traditional form 衝 shows 重 inside 行, with 行 as the meaning part and 重 as the sound part; the simplified 冲 is a later shorthand.

Open 冲 →

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
Written in full asdāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

刺 pairs 刂 (knife) with 朿, which gives the sound; the knife part fits actions like stabbing or pricking.

Open 刺 →

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