声名鹊起 (shēng míng què qǐ) — (idiom) to rise to fame quickly, to become suddenly famous

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'fame suddenly soared' — like a magpie (鹊) leaping up, a sharp, fast rise. Used for people, companies, or works that become well-known almost overnight.

idiom
to rise to fame quicklyto become suddenly famous

Examples

  • 声名鹊起。
    Nà wèi nián qīng yǎn yuán yīn yí bù diàn yǐng ér shēng míng què qǐ.
    That young actor rose to fame quickly because of one movie.
  • 声名鹊起。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī píng jiè chuàng xīn chǎn pǐn zài yè nèi shēng míng què qǐ.
    This company rose to fame in the industry through its innovative products.
  • ,声名鹊起。
    Tā de xiǎo shuō chū bǎn hòu, zuò zhě shēng míng què qǐ.
    After his novel was published, the author quickly became famous.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

声名reputation
声shēngreputation名míngname
联合Side by side
鹊起rise like a magpie
鹊quèmagpie起qǐrise
偏正Modifier + head

声名 means reputation, and 鹊起 paints a sudden rise like a magpie.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
殸
殸qìng聲shēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →

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

名 puts 夕 (crescent moon) above 口 (mouth), showing a name spoken in the dark.

Open 名 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 鹊 →

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

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

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