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游泳 (yóu yǒng) — to swim; swimming

Definition

A verb–object word for the activity of swimming. Use 游 on its own when you mean 'to swim' in general; 游泳 is the more common, specific word for the sport or action of swimming.

verb
to swimswimming

Examples

  • 游泳？
    Nǐ huì yóu yǒng ma?
    Can you swim?
  • 。
    Wǒ yóu guò yí cì yǒng.
    I have swum once.
  • 游泳。
    Mā ma xǐ huan yóu yǒng.
    Mom likes swimming.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

游yóuswim
泳yǒngswim

游 and 泳 both mean swim, so the word simply denotes swimming.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
斿
斿yóu游yóu
Same sound today

游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.

Open 游 →

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shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
永
永yǒng泳yǒng
Same sound today

泳 pairs 氵 (water) with 永, which gives the sound. The water part fits the meaning of swimming.

Open 泳 →
Appears in
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