死棋 (sǐ qí) — (lit.) a dead piece in chess (one that cannot be saved); (fig.) a hopeless situation; a dead-end scenario; (fig.) a stupid move; a blunder that seals failure

Definition

Literally a 'dead piece' in chess that cannot be saved; extended to mean a hopeless situation or a blunder that seals one's defeat.

noun
(lit.) a dead piece in chess (one that cannot be saved)(fig.) a hopeless situationa dead-end scenario(fig.) a stupid movea blunder that seals failure

Examples

  • ，死棋。
    Zhè pán qí tā yǐ jīng shū le, nà bù qí shì gè sǐ qí.
    He has already lost this game; that move was a dead piece.
  • ，死棋。
    Rú guǒ wǒ men bù gǎi biàn cè lüè, zhè ge xiàng mù jiù shì yí bù sǐ qí.
    If we don't change our strategy, this project will be a hopeless case.
  • ，死棋。
    Zài tán pàn zhōng, tí chū nà ge tiáo jiàn děng yú zǒu le yī zhe sǐ qí.
    In the negotiation, proposing that condition was like making a stupid move.

Origin

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.

死sǐdead
棋qíchess piece

"死" (dead) and "棋" (chess piece) combine to mean a dead chess piece, figuratively a hopeless case.

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
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
尸
尸shī死sǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

Open 死 →

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mùwooden
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí棋qí
Same sound today

棋 has 木 on the left, showing it was made of wood, and 其 on the right gives the sound.

Open 棋 →

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