跳级 (tiào jí) — to skip a grade (in school); to skip a level (in a game, career, etc.)

Definition

A verb meaning to skip a grade or level — usually a school grade, but also a stage in a game or career. The object 级 is what you skip past, so the focus is on advancing faster than the normal order.

verb
to skip a grade (in school)to skip a level (in a game, career, etc.)

Examples

  • ，跳级。
    Tā yīn wèi chéng jì yōu xiù, zhí jiē tiào jí le.
    Because of his excellent grades, he skipped a grade directly.
  • 。
    Tā zài xiǎo xué tiào guò liǎng cì jí.
    He skipped grades twice in elementary school.
  • ，跳级。
    Zhè ge yóu xì lǐ, nǐ kě yǐ tōng guò wán chéng rèn wu tiào jí.
    In this game, you can skip levels by completing tasks.

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
级jígrade/level

跳 (jump) over a 级 (grade/level) means skipping a grade.

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 →

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 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí級jí
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →

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