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沸腾 (fèi téng) — (of a liquid) to boil; (of emotions, atmosphere) to become excited; to erupt; to boil over

Definition

沸 means the liquid is at full rolling boil; used figuratively for emotions or atmosphere reaching a peak (erupt, boil over). Unlike 煮 (cook in boiling water), 沸腾 describes the boiling state itself, not the act of cooking.

verb
(of a liquid) to boil(of emotions, atmosphere) to become excitedto eruptto boil over

Examples

  • 沸腾。
    Shuǐ shāo dào yì bǎi dù jiù huì fèi téng.
    Water will boil when heated to 100 degrees.
  • ，沸腾。
    Dāng zhǔ chí rén xuān bù jié guǒ shí, quán chǎng fèi téng le.
    When the host announced the result, the whole venue erupted.
  • ，沸腾。
    Kàn dào zhè yí mù, tā de rè xuè fèi téng le.
    Seeing this scene, his blood boiled with passion.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

沸fèiboiling
腾téngrising

沸 “boiling” and 腾 “rising” combine to mean water boiling or emotions erupting.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
弗
弗fú沸fèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

沸 pairs 氵, the water part, with 弗, which gives it its sound.

Open 沸 →

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 騰; 腾 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
朕
朕zhèn騰téng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 騰 pairs 馬 (horse) with 朕 as a sound part; it described a horse's gallop or prance. The simplified 腾 is a later shorthand.

Open 腾 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Cooking

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