晚点 (wǎn diǎn) — to be delayed, to be behind schedule (of schedu…

Definition

晚点 is used only for scheduled transport (trains, planes, buses) running behind schedule. For a person arriving late, use 迟到.

verb

to be delayedto be behind schedule (of scheduled services)

晚点。
Fēi jī wǎn diǎn le liǎng gè xiǎo shí.
The plane was delayed by two hours.
晚点。
Jīn tiān zhè bān gōng gòng qì chē wǎn diǎn le.
Today this bus is delayed.
晚点。
Dì tiě wǎn diǎn shí fēn zhōng hěn píng cháng.
It's very common for the subway to be delayed by ten minutes.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

点diǎntime point

The 晚 sense of late and the 点 sense of time point combine to express being behind schedule.

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.

日免晚

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

免

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

晚 pairs 日, the sun part, with 免, which supplies the sound.

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

黑占點

Meaning part形符xíngfú

黑黑hēiblack

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn點diǎn(r)

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

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Appears in