送报 (sòng bào) — to deliver newspapers

Definition

送报 is a verb-object phrase meaning to deliver newspapers door-to-door or on a route, like a paper route. Split it in aspect/tense: 送了十年报, not *送报了十年.

verb
to deliver newspapers

Examples

  • 送报。
    Tā měi tiān zǎo shàng liù diǎn kāi shǐ sòng bào.
    He starts delivering newspapers at six every morning.
  • ，。
    Wǒ shū shu sòng le shí nián bào, xiàn zài tuì xiū le.
    My uncle delivered newspapers for ten years and is now retired.
  • 送报。
    Tā gěi zhè tiáo jiē de jū mín sòng bào.
    He delivers newspapers to the residents on this street.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

送sòngdeliver
报bàonewspapers

送 (deliver) and 报 (newspapers) combine to mean delivering newspapers.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuòto walk
Sound part声符shēngfú
灷
灷zhuàn送sòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

送 combines 辶, the walking radical, with 灷, which supplies the sound; the walking part fits meanings like see off or deliver.

Open 送 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

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