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段落 (duàn luò) — paragraph; passage (of text); phase; stage (of time or process)

Definition

段落 means a 'paragraph' of text or a 'stage' of a process — it pairs with 阶段/时期 for phases and 段 for stretches. Use 段 alone as a classifier; use 段落 for the unit itself.

noun
paragraphpassage (of text)phasestage (of time or process)
Measure word · 段

Examples

  • 段落。
    Zhè piān wén zhāng de měi gè duàn luò dōu xiě dé hěn qīng chǔ.
    Every paragraph of this article is written very clearly.
  • 段落。
    Tā men de rén shēng jìn rù le yí gè xīn de duàn luò.
    Their lives have entered a new phase.
  • 段落。
    Qǐng bǎ zhè duàn wén zì fēn chéng sān gè duàn luò.
    Please divide this passage of text into three paragraphs.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

段duànsection
落luòpassage

段 and 落 both refer to a section or passage, so the word names a paragraph or phase.

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
殳殳shū
Sound part声符shēngfú
厂
厂chǎng段duàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

段's shape shows 殳 as a hammer breaking a stone, with fragments flying off.

Open 段 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Reading & Writing

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