掰开 (bāi kāi) — to break off or force apart with the fingers or hands

Definition

Separable verb (离合词): 掰 is the action of prying/splitting with the fingers; 开 is the result complement meaning 'apart/open'. You must split the parts in 把-constructions and with 了, as in 把饼干掰开 / 掰开了.

verb
to break off or force apart with the fingers or hands

Examples

  • 掰开。
    Tā bǎ nà kuài qiǎo kè lì bāi kāi le.
    He broke that piece of chocolate in half.
  • 掰开。
    Yòng shǒu bāi kāi nà gēn mù gùn.
    Use your hands to break that stick apart.
  • 掰开。
    Tā xiǎo shí hou xǐ huan bǎ bǐng gān bāi kāi le zài chī.
    When he was little, he liked to break cookies into pieces before eating.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

掰bāisplit with fingers
开kāiopen

掰 is split with fingers and 开 is open; the result of splitting is open.

Characters in this word

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

掰 puts 分 between two 手, showing something being pulled apart between the hands.

Open 掰 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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