超速 (chāo sù) — to speed, to exceed the speed limit | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

超速 means to drive over the speed limit — a traffic violation, not just moving fast. Pairs with 快速 (fast, neutral) and 高速 (high-speed, e.g. 高速公路), which describe speed itself, not breaking a limit.

verb

to speedto exceed the speed limit

Examples

，超速。
Qǐng zūn shǒu xiàn sù guī dìng, bú yào chāo sù.
Please follow the speed limit; don't speed.
超速6。
Tā yīn wèi zài shì qū chāo sù bèi kòu le 6 fēn.
He had 6 points deducted for speeding in the city area.
超速。
Gāo sù gōng lù shàng de chāo sù xíng wéi fēi cháng wēi xiǎn.
Speeding on the highway is very dangerous.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

The first part means exceed, the second means speed, so it denotes going over the limit.

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.

走召超

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

召

召zhào超chāo

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

超 pairs 走, meaning “run,” with 召, which gives the sound.

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

辵辵chuò

Sound part声符shēngfú

束

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

速 pairs 辵, the walking part, with 束, which is used for its sound; the walking part fits the meaning of moving fast.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 Roads & Traffic

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