落潮 (luò cháo) — (verb) to ebb; (noun) ebb tide

Definition

Literary term for the tide going out — 'ebb / ebb tide'. More formal and written than the colloquial 退潮 (which is also a verb). Use it in descriptive or literary contexts.

verb
to ebb
noun
ebb tide

Examples

  • 落潮。
    Hǎi shuǐ zhèng zài luò cháo.
    The seawater is ebbing.
  • 。
    Dà hǎi luò le yí cì cháo.
    The sea ebbed once.
  • 落潮。
    Xiàn zài zhèng shì luò cháo de shí hou.
    Now is the time of ebb tide.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

落luòfall
潮cháotide

落 and 潮 combine to describe the tide falling back.

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
朝
朝cháo潮cháo
Same sound today

潮 has 氵, the water form 水, on the left to show a water connection, with 朝 on the right giving the sound.

Open 潮 →

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