死难 (sǐ nán) — to die in a disaster or for one's country

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to die in a disaster or for one's country,' usually in the service of a cause. It is not used for ordinary, private deaths — use 死 for that.

verb
to die in a disaster or for one's country

Examples

  • 死难。
    Tā zài nà chǎng zāi nàn zhōng sǐ nán le.
    He died in that disaster.
  • 死难。
    Xǔ duō zhàn shì wèi le guó jiā ér sǐ nán.
    Many soldiers died for their country.
  • 死难。
    Zhè cì shì gù zhōng yǒu shí rén sǐ nán.
    Ten people died in this accident.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

死sǐdie
难nándisaster

死 means die and 难 means disaster, together meaning die in a disaster or for a cause.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
暵
暵hàn難nán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

Open 难 →

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