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扑救 (pū jiù) — (to) fight a fire, put out a blaze; (sports) make a diving save (in volleyball, soccer, etc.)

Definition

Combines two senses: firefighters fighting a blaze, and a goalkeeper/volleyball player making a diving save. The diving imagery of 扑 ties both meanings together.

verb
(to) fight a fireput out a blaze(sports) make a diving save (in volleyball, soccer, etc.)

Examples

  • 扑救。
    Xiāo fáng yuán xùn sù pū jiù le zhè chǎng dà huǒ.
    The firefighters quickly fought this big fire.
  • 扑救。
    Tā fēi shēn pū jiù le zhè ge guān jiàn de qiú.
    He dove to save this crucial ball.
  • 扑救。
    Xiāo fáng duì huā le liǎng gè xiǎo shí cái bǎ dà huǒ pū jiù zhù.
    The fire brigade spent two hours to finally contain the blaze.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

扑pūpounce/dive
救jiùsave/rescue

扑 and 救 both describe rushing to rescue, giving the sense of fighting fire or making a save.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卜
卜bǔ扑pū
Same sound today

扑 uses 手 (hand) for meaning and 卜 (bǔ) for sound.

Open 扑 →

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
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
求
求qiú救jiù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 救, 求 gives the sound, and 攴 is the action part.

Open 救 →
Appears in
Safety & DangerSports & Athletics

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