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翻船 (fān chuán) — (of a boat) to capsize; to be shipwrecked; to fail; to suffer a setback (used metaphorically)

Definition

Literally 'to capsize', but widely used as a metaphor for a plan or business failing badly. 翻 is the verb for turning over; 船 is boat.

verb
(of a boat) to capsizeto be shipwreckedto failto suffer a setback (used metaphorically)

Examples

  • 翻船。
    Nà sōu chuán zài bào fēng yǔ zhōng fān chuán le.
    That ship capsized in the storm.
  • 翻船。
    Zhè ge chuàng yè xiàng mù zuì zhōng fān chuán le.
    This startup project ultimately failed.
  • ，。
    Tā zuò shēng yi fān le yí cì chuán, hòu lái jiù jǐn shèn le.
    He failed once in business and has been cautious since.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

翻fānoverturn
船chuánboat

“翻” (overturn) and “船” (boat) combine to mean a boat capsizing, also a failure.

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
羽羽yǔwings
Sound part声符shēngfú
番
番fān翻fān
Same sound today

翻 pairs 羽 (wings) with 番, which gives the sound. The shape shows something fluttering.

Open 翻 →

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
舟舟zhōuboat
Sound part声符shēngfú
㕣
㕣㕣船
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

船 pairs 舟 (boat) with 㕣 for its sound.

Open 船 →
Appears in
Boats & Water TravelSuccess & Failure

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