决胜局 (jué shèng jú) — deciding game (in sports); tiebreaker | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A 'tiebreaker' or 'deciding game' — the final set/round that decides the winner when the score is tied. Used in sports like tennis and volleyball.

noun

deciding game (in sports)tiebreaker

Measure word · 场

Examples

决胜局。
Zhè chǎng wǎng qiú bǐ sài de jué shèng jú fēi cháng jī liè.
The deciding game of this tennis match was very intense.
，决胜局。
Pái qiú dǎ dào dì wǔ jú, nà jiù shì jué shèng jú le.
In volleyball, when it reaches the fifth set, that's the deciding game.
决胜局。
Tā men kào chū sè de fā huī ná xià le jué shèng jú.
They won the deciding game thanks to an outstanding performance.

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.

决胜decide victory

决juédecide胜shèngvictory

动宾Verb + object

决胜 “decide victory” describes the 局 “game,” giving the deciding game.

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 決; 决 is its simplified writing.

氵夬決

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

夬

夬guài決jué

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 決 has 氵 (water) and 夬, which gives the sound. This describes 決, not the simplified 决.

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

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

生

生shēng胜shèng

Same sound today

The simplified 胜 changes the traditional 勝 by replacing part of its sound side with 生; the left 肉 relates to meat.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

句

句jù局jú

Same sound today

The shape of 局 pairs 尸, a meaning part, with 句, a sound part.

Appears in

Sports & Athletics

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