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救生员 (jiù shēng yuán) — lifeguard

Definition

noun
lifeguard
Measure word · 名

Examples

  • 。
    Yóu yǒng chí biān yǒu jiù shēng yuán zài zhí bān.
    There is a lifeguard on duty by the swimming pool.
  • 救生员。
    Nà wèi jiù shēng yuán jí shí jiù qǐ le luò shuǐ de xiǎo hái.
    That lifeguard rescued the child who had fallen into the water in time.
  • 救生员。
    Hǎi tān shàng de jiù shēng yuán dōu shòu guò zhuān yè xùn liàn.
    All the lifeguards on the beach have received professional training.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

救生save life
救jiùsave生shēnglife
动宾Verb + object
员yuánperson

救生 describes the work, and 员 points to the person doing it.

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
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
求
求qiú救jiù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 救, 求 gives the sound, and 攴 is the action part.

Open 救 →

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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 員; 员 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
鼎鼎dǐngding
Sound part声符shēngfú
〇
〇líng員yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 員, 〇 supplies the sound and 鼎 supplies the meaning; the simplified 员 is a shortened form.

Open 员 →
Appears in
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