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跳伞 (tiào sǎn) — to parachute; to jump with a parachute

Definition

跳伞 (tiào sǎn) is a specific compound verb meaning to parachute / skydive. Unlike 跳高 and 跳水, which are named track-and-field / aquatic sports, 跳伞 names an air sport, not a school athletic event.

verb
to parachuteto jump with a parachute

Examples

  • 跳伞。
    Tā fēi cháng xǐ huan tiào sǎn.
    He really likes parachuting.
  • 。
    Tā tiào guò sān cì sǎn.
    He has jumped with a parachute three times.
  • 跳伞。
    Cóng zhè me gāo de dì fāng tiào sǎn xū yào hěn dà de yǒng qì.
    Parachuting from such a high place requires a lot of courage.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

跳tiàojump
伞sǎnparachute

'跳' jump with '伞' parachute names the action of parachuting.

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
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
兆
兆zhào跳tiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

跳 pairs 足 (foot) with 兆, which supplies the sound; the foot part shows the action is done with the feet.

Open 跳 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 傘; 伞 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 傘 is drawn like an umbrella. The simplified 伞 is a later shorthand, not the original drawing.

Open 伞 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Sports & Athletics

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