(lài) — rapids

Definition

A bound literary noun meaning 'rapids' or 'shallow, fast-moving water'. Almost always part of a compound like 急濑 or 浅濑, not used on its own.

bound form
rapids

Examples

  • Zhè tiáo hé yǒu wēi xiǎn de jí lài.
    This river has dangerous swift rapids.
  • Chuán xiǎo xīn dì shǐ guò le tuān lài.
    The boat carefully passed through the turbulent rapids.
  • Qiǎn lài chù de shuǐ qīng liàng jiàn dǐ.
    The water in the shallow rapids is clear down to the bottom.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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 瀨; 濑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Written in full asshuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
làilài
Same sound today

The traditional form 瀨 uses 氵 (water) for the meaning and 賴 for the sound; the simplified 濑 is a later shorthand.

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