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压轴 (yā zhòu) — (noun) the penultimate item that serves as the climax of a performance or event; (verb) to perform or appear as the climax (of a show)

Definition

压轴 literally means 'second-to-last item' on a program, but in modern usage it means the main highlight or climax of a show — NOT the finale. The final act is 闭幕 or 终场.

noun
the penultimate item that serves as the climax of a performance or event
verb
to perform or appear as the climax (of a show)

Examples

  • 压轴。
    yā zhòu Jié mù shì jīn wǎn zuì jīng cǎi de.
    The climactic program is the most exciting one tonight.
  • 压轴，。
    Nà wèi zhù míng gē shǒu yā zhòu chū chǎng, guān zhòng dōu fèi téng le.
    That famous singer appeared as the highlight, and the audience went wild.
  • 压轴，。
    Zuò wéi yā zhòu, zhè chǎng biǎo yǎn méi yǒu ràng rén shī wàng.
    As the climax, this performance did not disappoint.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

压yāpress
轴zhóufinal act

In old opera playbills, 压 meant 'pressed' the last item 轴, so the act just before it became the climax.

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔdust
Sound part声符shēngfú
厭
厭yàn壓yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Open 压 →

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 軸; 轴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcart, carriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu軸zhóu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軸 pairs 車 (cart) with a part that gives the sound, 由; it pictures an axle passing through a cartwheel. The simplified 轴 is a later abbreviation.

Open 轴 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Dance & PerformanceFilm & Theater

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