拆封 (chāi fēng) — to unseal, to open (a sealed item)

Definition

A verb specifically for breaking the seal or wrapper on a package, letter, or new product — not general 'opening'. Once sealed items are 拆封, they usually can't be returned.

verb
to unsealto open (a sealed item)

Examples

  • 拆封。
    Zhè ge bāo guǒ hái méi yǒu chāi fēng.
    This package hasn't been unsealed yet.
  • ，。
    Tā chāi le yí cì fēng, fā xiàn lǐ miàn shì kōng de.
    He unsealed it once and found it was empty inside.
  • 拆封，。
    Diàn zǐ chǎn pǐn yí dàn chāi fēng, jiù bù néng tuì huò le.
    Once electronic products are unsealed, they can't be returned.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

拆chāitear open
封fēngseal

拆 means to tear open, and 封 is the seal.

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
斥
斥chì拆chāi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拆 uses 手 to show an action done by hand, with 斥 giving the sound. In an earlier related form, the hand part replaced an earth part to stress the action by hand.

Open 拆 →

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
土土tǔearth
寸寸cùnhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丰
丰fēng封fēng
Same sound today

The shape 封 is 丰 plus 土 (earth) plus 寸 (hand); 丰 was originally drawn as a tree seedling.

Open 封 →

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