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搏斗 (bó dòu) — to fight, to wrestle (physically); to struggle (against difficulties, fate, etc.)

Definition

搏斗 stresses a fierce physical fight (contest, combat) or a desperate struggle against odds. Stronger and more violent than 打架 (everyday scuffle); more physical than 奋斗 (a goal-driven striving).

verb
to fightto wrestle (physically)to struggle (against difficulties, fate, etc.)

Examples

  • 搏斗。
    Liǎng gè xuǎn shǒu zài tái shàng jī liè bó dòu.
    The two contestants wrestled fiercely on stage.
  • 搏斗。
    Duō nián lái tā men yì zhí yǔ bìng mó bó dòu.
    For years they have been struggling against disease.
  • 搏斗。
    Shì bīng men yǔ dí rén yīng yǒng bó dòu.
    The soldiers fought bravely against the enemy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

搏bógrapple
斗dòufight

Grapple and fight combine to mean struggle or combat.

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
尃
尃fū搏bó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

搏 puts 手 (hand) beside 尃, which gives the sound; the hand part points to actions done with the hand.

Open 搏 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 斗 originally showed a ladle-shaped dipper or cup used to measure grain, held in a hand.

Open 斗 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Conflict & Agreement

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