开赴 (kāi fù) — to head toward (a destination, especially in a military or organized group); to march to

Definition

A formal verb for a group (troops, medical or construction teams) setting out for a destination. Highlights organized, purposeful movement rather than just travel.

verb
to head toward (a destination, especially in a military or organized group)to march to

Examples

  • 开赴。
    Bù duì lián yè kāi fù qián xiàn.
    The troops headed to the front line overnight.
  • 开赴。
    Yī liáo duì yǐ kāi fù zāi qū kāi zhǎn jiù yuán.
    The medical team has already headed to the disaster area to carry out relief work.
  • 开赴。
    Gōng chéng duì míng tiān kāi fù xīn gōng dì.
    The construction team will head to the new work site tomorrow.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

开kāiset out
赴fùgo to

开 suggests setting out, and 赴 means going to, so the word conveys heading toward a place.

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 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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
走走zǒurunning
Sound part声符shēngfú
卜
卜bǔ赴fù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

赴 pairs 走, meaning running, with 卜, which gives the sound.

Open 赴 →

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