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拍卖会 (pāi mài huì) — auction (event)

Definition

noun
auction (event)
Measure word · 场

Examples

  • 拍卖会。
    Tā míng tiān yào qù cān jiā yí gè pāi mài huì.
    He is going to attend an auction tomorrow.
  • 拍卖会。
    Zhè fú huà shì zài pāi mài huì shàng pāi chū de.
    This painting was sold at an auction.
  • 拍卖会。
    Zhè chǎng pāi mài huì xī yǐn le hěn duō shōu cáng jiā.
    This auction attracted many collectors.

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.

拍卖auction
拍pāistrike卖màisell
联合Coordinate
会huìgathering

“拍卖” (beat and sell) names the event, and “会” marks it as a gathering.

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

拍 puts 手 (hand) beside 白, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 拍 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 賣; 卖 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 賣 came from an older shape that joined 出 (go out) with 買 (buy), which gives the sound. The simplified 卖 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical ones.

Open 卖 →

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 會; 会 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
合合héto meet
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡆧
𡆧𡆧會huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Traditional 會 pairs 合 (to meet) with 𡆧, an original form for ironware, to give the sound. The simplified 会 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 会 →
Appears in
Business & Commerce

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