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排演 (pái yǎn) — to rehearse (a play, performance, etc.)

Definition

Refers specifically to rehearsing a theatrical or staged performance (a play, opera, sketch). In modern Chinese, 表演 covers rehearsal AND performance; 排演 emphasizes the practice run before opening night.

verb
to rehearse (a play, performance, etc.)

Examples

  • 排演。
    Tā men zhèng zài pái yǎn yí bù xīn huà jù.
    They are rehearsing a new play.
  • 排演。
    Dǎo yǎn yāo qiú wǒ men měi tiān pái yǎn sān xiǎo shí.
    The director requires us to rehearse three hours every day.
  • 排演，。
    pái yǎn Le yì zhěng tiān hòu, yǎn yuán men yì qǐ tǎo lùn gǎi jìn de dì fāng.
    After rehearsing all day, the actors discussed areas for improvement.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

排páiarrange
演yǎnperform

排 (arrange) and 演 (perform) are parallel actions that together mean to rehearse a performance.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
非
非fēi排pái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

排 uses 扌 (hand) to show arranging something with the hand, and 非 for the sound; this gives the sense of placing things in a line.

Open 排 →

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shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
寅
寅yín演yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

Open 演 →
Appears in
Dance & Performance

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