劈开 (pǐ kāi) — to split open, to cleave

Definition

Split open with a sharp tool or by force (wood, watermelon). Separable verb: insert 得/不 for 'can/cannot' (劈得开, 劈不开); 劈 emphasizes force, not careful cutting.

verb
to split opento cleave

Examples

  • 劈开。
    Tā bǎ mù tou pǐ kāi le.
    He split the wood open.
  • ，，。
    Zhè kuài mù bǎn hěn báo, wǒ shì le shì, pī dé kāi.
    This board is very thin; I tried and can split it.
  • ，。
    Zhè ge xī guā tài yìng le, wǒ pī bù kāi.
    This watermelon is too hard; I can't split it open.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

劈pīsplit
开kāiopen

劈 means split and 开 means open, so the result is splitting something open.

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
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì劈pī
Same sound today

劈 combines 辟, which gives the sound pì, with 刀, a knife, for cutting or splitting.

Open 劈 →

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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