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遍体鳞伤 (biàn tǐ lín shāng) — covered in bruises and injuries all over one's body; beaten black and blue

Definition

A vivid chengyu meaning 'covered in bruises and wounds all over the body,' like fish scales covering a fish. Stronger than just 'hurt' — emphasizes being battered or beaten badly.

idiom
covered in bruises and injuries all over one's bodybeaten black and blue

Examples

  • 遍体鳞伤。
    Tā bèi yì qún dǎi tú dǎ dé biàn tǐ lín shāng.
    He was beaten black and blue by a gang of thugs.
  • ，遍体鳞伤。
    Chē huò zhī hòu, tā biàn tǐ lín shāng dì bèi sòng jìn le yī yuàn.
    After the car accident, he was sent to the hospital covered in injuries.
  • ，遍体鳞伤。
    Cóng xuán yá shàng shuāi xià lái, tā yǐ jīng shì biàn tǐ lín shāng le.
    After falling off the cliff, he was already covered in wounds all over.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

遍体whole body
遍biànall over体tǐbody
偏正Modifier + head
鳞伤scale-like wounds
鳞línscale伤shāngwound
偏正Modifier + head

遍体 means whole body and 鳞伤 means scale-like wounds, so injuries cover the body like fish scales.

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chuòwalk; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
扁
扁biǎn遍biàn
Same sound today

遍 combines 辶, a mark for walking or movement, with 扁, which gives the sound biǎn.

Open 遍 →

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →

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 鱗; 鳞 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
魚魚yúfish
Sound part声符shēngfú
粦
粦lín鱗lín
Same sound today

The traditional form 鱗 combines 魚 (fish) with 粦 to mark the sound; the simplified 鳞 is a later shorthand, so the story is about 鱗.

Open 鳞 →

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 傷; 伤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
𥏻
𥏻𥏻傷shāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 傷 shows 人, a person, and uses 𥏻 to give the sound; the simplified 伤 is a later shorthand.

Open 伤 →
Appears in
Injury & DisabilityIdioms & Set Phrases

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