强身健体 (qiáng shēn jiàn tǐ) — to keep fit and healthy

Definition

verb
to keep fit and healthy

Examples

  • ，强身健体。
    Tā měi tiān duàn liàn, wèi le qiáng shēn jiàn tǐ.
    He exercises every day in order to keep fit and healthy.
  • 强身健体。
    Cān jiā tǐ yù huó dòng kě yǐ bāng zhù wǒ men qiáng shēn jiàn tǐ.
    Participating in sports activities can help us keep fit and healthy.
  • 强身健体。
    Liàn xí tài jí quán shì yì zhǒng hěn hǎo de qiáng shēn jiàn tǐ fāng shì.
    Practicing tai chi is a good way to keep fit and healthy.

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.

强身strengthen body
强qiángstrengthen身shēnbody
动宾Verb + object
健体make body healthy
健jiànmake healthy体tǐbody
动宾Verb + object

“强” means strengthen and “身” means body; “健” means make healthy and “体” means body; together they mean keeping fit.

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 強; 强 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 強 pairs an insect component with a sound component; this explains 強, not the simplified 强.

Open 强 →

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

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
建
建jiàn健jiàn
Same sound today

The left part 亻 depicts a person, and the right part 建 gives the sound.

Open 健 →

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →

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