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戏法 (xì fǎ) — traditional Chinese magic or sleight-of-hand; trick

Definition

A traditional term for sleight-of-hand tricks, like card or coin magic. The measure word is 套, used for a whole routine rather than a single move.

noun
traditional Chinese magic or sleight-of-handtrick
Measure word · 套

Examples

  • 戏法。
    Tā biǎo yǎn le yí gè xì fǎ.
    He performed a magic trick.
  • 戏法。
    Tā biàn de xì fǎ fēi cháng jīng cǎi.
    The tricks he performed were very spectacular.
  • 戏法。
    Zhè zhǒng xì fǎ xū yào hěn duō liàn xí.
    This kind of trick requires a lot of practice.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

戏xìplay/trick
法fǎmethod

戏 refers to play or trickery and 法 to a method, together giving a trick or sleight of hand.

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 戲; 戏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戈戈gēhalberd
Sound part声符shēngfú
䖒
䖒䖒戲xì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 戲, the shape combines 戈 (halberd) with 䖒, which gives the sound; the word originally meant an army's wing or flank. The simplified 戏 is a later shorthand, not the form described here.

Open 戏 →

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
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →
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