后空翻 (hòu kōng fān) — backflip; backward somersault

Definition

noun

backflipbackward somersault

Measure word · 个

Examples

后空翻。
Tā zài bǐ sài shí zuò le yí gè wán měi de hòu kōng fān.
He did a perfect backflip during the competition.
，后空翻。
Tiào shuǐ yùn dòng yuán cóng tiào bǎn shàng tiào xià, wán chéng le hòu kōng fān.
The diver jumped off the diving board and completed a backflip.
后空翻。
Xué xí hòu kōng fān xū yào hěn duō liàn xí hé yǒng qì.
Learning a backflip requires a lot of practice and courage.

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.

后hòubackward

空翻air flip

空kōngair翻fānflip

偏正Modifier + head

后 gives backward, while 空翻 is a flip through the air, so the whole means a backward somersault.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

幺幺yāothread
夊夊suīfoot

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

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

穴工空

Meaning part形符xíngfú

穴穴xuécave, hole

Sound part声符shēngfú

工

工gōng空kōng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

空 is built from 穴, a cave or hole, and 工, which gives the sound.

Open 空 →

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