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跳水 (tiào shuǐ) — to dive (into water); diving (as a sport); (figurative) to fall sharply, to plummet (of stocks, prices, etc.)

Definition

Literally 'jump water': the sport of diving and the act of plunging in. Figuratively used for a sharp price or stock drop, like 降 but more vivid and dramatic.

verb
to dive (into water)diving (as a sport)(figurative) to fall sharplyto plummet (of stocks, prices, etc.)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā gāng cái tiào le yí cì shuǐ.
    He just did a dive.
  • 跳水。
    tiào shuǐ Shì yí xiàng fēi cháng yōu yǎ de yùn dòng.
    Diving is a very elegant sport.
  • 跳水。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de gǔ piào jīn tiān dà fú tiào shuǐ.
    This company's stock fell sharply today.

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
水shuǐwater

“跳” (jump) and “水” (water) describe jumping into water.

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.

水 is a simple drawing of water flowing.

Open 水 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Sports & Athletics

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