误点 (wù diǎn) — to be late, to be behind schedule (of transportation)

Definition

Refers specifically to transportation (trains, buses, flights) arriving or departing later than scheduled. Often used as 误了点 or with a time phrase like 误了半小时.

verb
to be lateto be behind schedule (of transportation)

Examples

  • 误点。
    Huǒ chē wù diǎn le bàn xiǎo shí.
    The train was half an hour late.
  • 。
    Fēi jī wù le èr shí fēn zhōng de diǎn.
    The plane was twenty minutes late.
  • 误点。
    Zhè bān gōng jiāo yòu wù diǎn le.
    This bus is late again.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

误wùdelay/miss
点diǎntime

误 (delay/miss) and 点 (scheduled time) combine to mean a vehicle is behind time.

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 誤; 误 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech
Sound part声符shēngfú
吳
吳wú誤wù
Same sound today

The traditional form 誤 uses 言 (speech) for meaning and 吳 for sound, giving the idea of speaking an error; the simplified 误 is a later shorthand.

Open 误 →

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.