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翻跟头 (fān gēn tou) — to turn a somersault; to do a cartwheel or loop; (figurative) to suffer a setback or failure (in 摔跟头)

Definition

翻跟头 is a colloquial verb meaning to do a somersault or cartwheel — a body-flipping motion, not flying a loop in the air. In 摔跟头 it extends figuratively to 'take a tumble,' meaning to suffer a setback or failure.

verb
to turn a somersaultto do a cartwheel or loop(figurative) to suffer a setback or failure (in 摔跟头)

Examples

  • 翻跟头。
    Tā zài cǎo dì shàng fān le yí gè fān gēn tou.
    He turned a somersault on the grass.
  • 翻跟头。
    Zhè ge yùn dòng yuán lián xù fān le sān gè fān gēn tou.
    This athlete did three somersaults in a row.
  • ，翻跟头。
    Tā zuò shēng yi shī bài, shuāi le yí gè dà fān gēn tou.
    He failed in business and took a big fall.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

翻fānturn
跟头somersault
跟gēn头tóu

“翻” (turn) and “跟头” (somersault) combine to mean doing a somersault.

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn跟gēn
Same sound today

跟 is built from 足 (foot) plus 艮. The 足 part ties the character to foot-related senses, while 艮 gives the sound.

Open 跟 →

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →
Appears in
Sports & AthleticsSuccess & Failure

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