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摊牌 (tān pái) — to show one's hand; to have a showdown (reveal one's true position or intentions)

Definition

'Show one's hand' — a figurative verb from card games, meaning to finally reveal one's true position after delaying or negotiating.

verb
to show one's handto have a showdown (reveal one's true position or intentions)

Examples

  • 摊牌。
    Tán pàn shuāng fāng zhōng yú tān pái le.
    The two sides in the negotiation finally had a showdown.
  • ，。
    Tā zhí jiē tān le pái, shuō bù tóng yì zhè ge fāng àn.
    He directly showed his hand and said he didn't agree with this plan.
  • ，摊牌。
    Bié zài rào quān zi le, zán men xiàn zài tān pái ba.
    Stop beating around the bush — let's have a showdown now.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

摊tānspread open
牌páicards

摊 means spread open and 牌 means cards, so spreading cards reveals one's hand.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 攤; 摊 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
難
難nán攤tān
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 攤 uses 手 (hand) and 難 for sound.

Open 摊 →

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
片片piàn
Sound part声符shēngfú
卑
卑bēi牌pái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

牌 puts 片, a flat piece, beside 卑, which gives the sound.

Open 牌 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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