划艇 (huá tǐng) — to canoe, to go canoeing (as a sport)

Definition

Means 'to go canoeing' as a sport or leisure activity on the water. Note the pronunciation: 划 is huá here, not huà.

verb

to canoeto go canoeing (as a sport)

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

划 supplies the idea of paddling and 艇 supplies the idea of a boat, so the word names a paddled boat.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

戈

戈gē划huá

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

划 is made of 刀, a knife, and 戈, a weapon. The 戈 part gives the sound.

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

舟廷艇

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

廷

Same sound today

艇 pairs 舟, meaning boat, with 廷, which gives the sound.

Appears in