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叛逃 (pàn táo) — to defect, to betray one's country and flee

Definition

To betray one's own country or organization and flee, usually to an enemy or rival side. Refers to a deliberate, politically charged defection — a single act of desertion, not general emigration.

verb
to defectto betray one's country and flee

Examples

  • 叛逃。
    Tā yīn wèi bù mǎn zhèng fǔ ér pàn táo dào le guó wài.
    He defected abroad because he was dissatisfied with the government.
  • 叛逃。
    Zhè míng gāo jí jūn guān shì tú pàn táo dàn bèi dài bǔ le.
    This senior officer attempted to defect but was arrested.
  • ，叛逃。
    Lěng zhàn shí qī, xǔ duō kē xué jiā pàn táo dào le xī fāng guó jiā.
    During the Cold War, many scientists defected to Western countries.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

叛pànbetray
逃táoflee

叛 means betray and 逃 means flee, so the word describes defecting.

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
反反fǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
半
半bàn叛pàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

叛 pairs 反 as its meaning part with 半 as its sound part.

Open 叛 →

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
兆
兆zhào逃táo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

逃 pairs 辶 (walk) with 兆, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 逃 →
Appears in
Government & Politics

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