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栖身 (qī shēn) — to stay temporarily, to lodge, to take shelter (often in a humble or makeshift place)

Definition

A literary/written verb meaning to take temporary shelter, often in a humble place. Implies impermanence and a lack of proper lodging, more abstract than concrete 住.

verb
to stay temporarilyto lodgeto take shelter (often in a humble or makeshift place)

Examples

  • 栖身。
    Tā céng zài shān dòng lǐ qī shēn.
    He once stayed temporarily in a cave.
  • 。
    Tā zài zhè ge chéng shì qī guò shēn.
    He has stayed temporarily in this city.
  • 栖身。
    Xǔ duō nàn mín wú chù qī shēn.
    Many refugees have nowhere to take shelter.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

栖qīperch
身shēnbody

栖身 puts 栖 (to perch) and 身 (body) together, as if settling one's body somewhere.

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
西
西xī栖⁰qī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

栖 is built from 木 (tree) and 西; 木 relates to the meaning, and 西 gives the sound.

Open 栖 →

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

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →
Appears in
Accommodation

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