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回头路 (huí tóu lù) — path of retreat; regression; going back to a previous (undesirable) state

Definition

Means the path of going back to an old, worse state (not a physical road). Almost always appears in the negative '不走回头路' to mean 'no turning back'.

noun
path of retreatregressiongoing back to a previous (undesirable) state
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 。
    Gǎi gé bù néng zài zǒu huí tóu lù le.
    Reform cannot go back again.
  • ，。
    Tā jiān jué bù zǒu huí tóu lù, yì xīn xiàng qián.
    He firmly refuses to retreat and is determined to move forward.
  • ，。
    Lì shǐ zhèng míng, zǒu huí tóu lù shì méi yǒu chū lù de.
    History has proven that going back is no way out.

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.

回头turn back
回huíturn头tóuhead
动宾Verb + object
路lùroad

回头 “turn back” describes 路 “road”, the road one turns back along.

Characters in this word

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

回 comes from a drawing of a spiral, showing something turning around.

Open 回 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

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
足足zú
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.

Open 路 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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