巡 (xún) — (bound form) to patrol; to make rounds; to tour
Definition
A bound morpheme meaning 'to patrol / tour' — it never stands alone, always combining with another verb like 巡视 (inspect) or 巡逻 (patrol). The two most common compounds: 巡视 = inspect (people, work); 巡逻 = patrol (security).
bound form
to patrolto make roundsto tour
Examples
- 。Jǐng chá měi tiān zài jiē shàng xún luó.Police patrol the streets every day.
- 。Lǐng dǎo lái xué xiào xún shì gōng zuò.The leader came to the school to inspect the work.
- 。Zhè ge yuè duì zài quán guó xún huí yǎn chū.This band is touring nationally to perform.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān巡xún
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
巡 pairs 辵, a walking part, with 川 as a sound part.
Appears in
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