冲开 (chōng kāi) — to break through (by force), to burst open, to force open

Definition

A separable verb meaning to burst or force something open (a dam, gate, line of defense) with sudden force. Split for objects: 冲开 + Object, or Object + 冲 + 开.

verb
to break through (by force)to burst opento force open

Examples

  • 冲开。
    Hóng shuǐ chōng kāi le dī bà.
    The flood burst through the dam.
  • ，冲开。
    Tā yòng lì yì tuī, chōng kāi le dà mén.
    He pushed hard and forced the gate open.
  • 冲开。
    Jūn duì chōng kāi le dí rén de fáng xiàn.
    The army broke through the enemy's defensive line.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

冲chōngrush
开kāiopen

冲 and 开 describe forcing something open by a strong flow.

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
行行xíng
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng衝chōng
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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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