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四处奔波 (sì chù bēn bō) — to rush about; to bustle about; to go here and there

Definition

Means 'to rush around everywhere,' usually for work, family duties, or some demanding goal — stresses being worn out by the running, not just being busy. A 成语-like set phrase; don't split up or reorder the four characters.

verb
to rush aboutto bustle aboutto go here and there

Examples

  • 四处奔波。
    Tā wèi le gōng zuò yì zhí zài sì chù bēn bō.
    He has been rushing around for work.
  • 四处奔波，。
    Jīng guò duō nián de sì chù bēn bō, tā zhōng yú zhǎo dào le wěn dìng de gōng zuò.
    After years of bustling about, he finally found a stable job.
  • 四处奔波，。
    Fù mǔ wèi le hái zi de jiào yù sì chù bēn bō, fēi cháng xīn kǔ.
    Parents bustle about for their children's education — it's very hard work.

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.

四处everywhere
四sìfour处chùplace
偏正Modifier + head
奔波rush about
奔bēnrun波bōwave
联合Coordinate

四 and 处 give the idea of everywhere, while 奔 and 波 both suggest movement, so the sense is rushing about.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 四 was drawn as a nose breathing out. It later came to be used for the word four.

Open 四 →

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →

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

奔 combines 人 (person) and 止 (foot), giving the picture of a person moving on foot.

Open 奔 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí波bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

Open 波 →
Appears in
Daily Routine

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