弄潮儿 (nòng cháo ér) — (historical) tidal‑bore swimmer/surfer (especially of the Qiantang River); (figurative) trendsetter, pioneer, trailblazer

Definition

A literary word with two layered senses: literally, a swimmer riding the tidal bore of the Qiantang River; figuratively, a trendsetter who rides — and shapes — the currents of a field.

noun
(historical) tidal‑bore swimmer/surfer (especially of the Qiantang River)(figurative) trendsetterpioneertrailblazer
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • ，弄潮儿。
    Zài gǔ dài, nòng cháo ér shì zhǐ zài qián táng jiāng cháo shuǐ zhōng yóu yǒng de rén.
    In ancient times, a ∼ was a person who swam in the tidal bore of the Qiantang River.
  • 弄潮儿，。
    Tā shì shí shàng jiè de nòng cháo ér, zǒng néng yǐn lǐng cháo liú.
    She is a ∼ in the fashion world, always setting trends.
  • 弄潮儿，。
    Zuò wéi hù lián wǎng háng yè de nòng cháo ér, tā kāi tuò le xīn de shì chǎng.
    As a ∼ in the internet industry, he explored new markets.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

弄潮handle tide
弄nònghandle潮cháotide
动宾Verb + object
儿érperson

The action 弄 handle with 潮 tide names a wave rider, and 儿 turns it into a person.

Characters in this word

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

The form 弄 combines 玉 (jade) with 廾 (hands), showing hands touching or handling jade.

Open 弄 →

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
朝
朝cháo潮cháo
Same sound today

潮 has 氵, the water form 水, on the left to show a water connection, with 朝 on the right giving the sound.

Open 潮 →

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

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →

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