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独舞 (dú wǔ) — solo dance

Definition

A dance performed by one person, often on stage. Pairs with 群舞 (group dance), as in the example contrasting both.

noun
solo dance

Examples

  • 独舞。
    Tā biǎo yǎn le yí duàn jīng cǎi de dú wǔ.
    She performed a wonderful solo dance.
  • 独舞。
    Xué xí dú wǔ xū yào hěn hǎo de shēn tǐ kòng zhì.
    Learning a solo dance requires good body control.
  • 独舞。
    Zhè cì bǐ sài jì yǒu dú wǔ yě yǒu qún wǔ.
    This competition includes both solo dances and group dances.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

独dúalone
舞wǔdance

独 means alone and 舞 means dance, together describing a dance by one person.

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 獨; 独 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎn
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ獨dú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 獨 pairs 犬 (dog) with 蜀, which gives the sound; the simplified 独 is a shorthand.

Open 独 →

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
舛舛chuǎnsteps, feet in convergent direction
Sound part声符shēngfú
無
無wú舞wǔ
Same sound today

舞 combines 舛, showing feet in converging steps, with 無 above. 無 gave the sound and also preserved its older meaning of dancing, so the shape points to dancing.

Open 舞 →
Appears in
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