近道 (jìn dào) — shortcut | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

近道 means 'shortcut' in a literal sense — a quicker physical route (走近道 = 'take a shortcut'). Metaphorical uses like 'no shortcut to learning' follow the same idea.

noun

shortcut

Measure word · 条

Examples

近道。
Zǒu zhè tiáo jìn dào kě yǐ shěng shí fēn zhōng.
Taking this shortcut can save ten minutes.
近道，。
Xué xí méi yǒu jìn dào, zhǐ néng yí bù yí bù lái.
There are no shortcuts in learning; you can only take it step by step.
近道。
Tā zhǎo dào le yì tiáo jiě jué nán tí de jìn dào.
He found a shortcut to solving the difficult problem.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

近 means near, and 道 means road; together they give a nearby road, a shortcut.

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.

辶斤近

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

斤

斤jīn近jìn

Same sound today

近 combines 辶, a walking radical, with 斤, which gives the sound. The walking part fits the idea of moving close to something.

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

行行xíngstreet

止止zhǐfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

𩠐

首shǒu道dào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

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