演剧 (yǎn jù) — to put on or perform a play

Definition

Written/formal verb for staging or performing a play — stronger than the everyday 演 and restricted largely to theater contexts, not film or TV.

verb

to put on or perform a play

演剧。
Wǒ men jīn wǎn yào yì qǐ yǎn jù.
We are going to perform a play together tonight.
。
Tā yǎn guò yì chū hěn shòu huān yíng de jù.
He performed a very popular play.
演剧。
Zhè ge jù tuán yǐ jīng yǎn jù le shí duō nián.
This troupe has been staging plays for over ten years.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

“演” means to perform or act, and “剧” is a play, so the word describes performing a play.

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.

氵寅演

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

寅

寅yín演yǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

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 劇; 剧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

刀刀dāoknife

Sound part声符shēngfú

豦

豦jù劇jù

Same sound today

The traditional form 劇 pairs 豦, which gives the sound, with 刀, a knife; the simplified 剧 is a later shorthand.