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赶跑 (gǎn páo) — to drive away; to chase away

Definition

A verb-object compound meaning to chase or drive something/someone away, often used in 把-constructions. Focuses on successfully making the target leave, not just scaring it.

verb
to drive awayto chase away

Examples

  • 赶跑。
    Tā yòng shí tou bǎ gǒu gǎn páo le.
    He used a stone to drive the dog away.
  • ，赶跑。
    Wǒ men jiā lái le yì zhī yě māo, bà ba bǎ tā gǎn páo le.
    A stray cat came to our house, and Dad chased it away.
  • 赶跑。
    Jǐng chá bǎ huài rén gǎn páo le.
    The police drove the bad guys away.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

赶gǎndrive
跑pǎorun away

赶 chases and 跑 adds the result of running away, giving the sense of driving something away.

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 趕; 赶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
旱
旱hàn趕gǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 趕 combines 走, for the meaning, and 旱, for the sound; this is about 趕, not 赶.

Open 赶 →

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
包
包bāo跑pǎo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

跑 combines 足, showing a foot, with 包, which gives the sound.

Open 跑 →
Appears in
Geography & Landforms

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