当庭 (dāng tíng) — (adverbial phrase) in court, during a court ses… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used almost exclusively in legal/judicial contexts: 'in court' or 'during the court session' (e.g. 当庭承认, 当庭宣判). It is an adverbial phrase, not a standalone verb.

verb

(adverbial phrase) in courtduring a court session

Examples

当庭。
Bèi gào rén dāng tíng chéng rèn le zuì xíng.
The defendant confessed to the crime in court.
当庭。
Lǜ shī dāng tíng tí chū le xīn de zhèng jù.
The lawyer presented new evidence in court.
当庭。
Zhèng rén dāng tíng miáo shù le dāng shí de qíng kuàng.
The witness described the situation in court.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

当dāngat/facing

当 means at or facing, 庭 means court; together point to being in a court session.

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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

田田tiánfield

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

尚shàng當dāng

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

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

广廷庭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

廷

廷tíng庭tíng

Same sound today

庭 combines 广 with 廷. The 廷 part gives the sound, and 广 is the meaning part.

Appears in

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