去路 (qù lù) — the way forward; the path one is taking; a way… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'the way one is going' — the route or path forward, often contrasted with 来路 (the way one came). Both senses are concrete or figurative paths/outlets for progress.

noun

the way forwardthe path one is takinga way outoutlet (often figurative)

Examples

去路。
Qián miàn nà liàng chē dǔ zhù le wǒ men de qù lù.
That car ahead blocked our way forward.
去路。
Tā men zhèng zài wèi zhè ge nán tí xún zhǎo xīn de qù lù.
They are looking for a new outlet to solve this problem.
去路，。
Zhè tiáo qù lù zǒu bù tōng, wǒ men huàn yì tiáo lù ba.
This way forward is blocked; let's take another route.

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.

去 “going” and 路 “road” combine to mean the way forward or outlet.

Characters in this word

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

大大dàman
口口kǒumouth, object

去 pairs 大, a man, with 口, a mouth or object. The evidence reads this as a man leaving a place, a man opening his mouth, or a cover over an object.

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

各

各gè路lù

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

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Appears in

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