热身 (rè shēn) — (v.o.) to warm up (before exercise); (n.) warm-…

Definition

热身 is a separable verb (离合词): warm up before exercise. Often split as 热…身, e.g. 热了热身.

(v.o.) to warm up (before exercise)(n.) warm-up (the activity or session)

，。
Bǐ sài qián, tā xiān rè le rè shēn.
Before the match, he warmed up first.
热身。
Xùn liàn qián yào zuò èr shí fēn zhōng de rè shēn.
Before training, you need to do a 20-minute warm-up.
热身。
Zhè xiē rè shēn dòng zuò duì pǎo bù hěn yǒu bāng zhù.
These warm-up exercises are very helpful for running.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

热 means to warm and 身 means body, so it is warming the body.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

埶灬熱

Meaning part形符xíngfú

灬Written in full as火huǒfire

Sound part声符shēngfú

埶

埶yì熱rè

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

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Appears in