闪开 (shǎn kāi) — to dodge, to sidestep, to get out of the way (by moving aside)

Definition

A vivid, physical verb meaning to leap or jump aside to avoid something — used for dodging a blow, vehicle, or obstacle. Unlike 避免 (yesterday) it is concrete and physical, not abstract.

verb
to dodgeto sidestepto get out of the way (by moving aside)

Examples

  • 闪开，。
    Tā měng de xiàng páng biān shǎn kāi, duǒ guò le nà liàng shī kòng de zì xíng chē.
    He suddenly dodged to the side and avoided that out-of-control bicycle.
  • 闪开！！
    shǎn kāi! Chē zi lái le!
    Get out of the way! A car is coming!
  • 闪开。
    Quán jī shǒu líng mǐn dì shǎn kāi duì shǒu de gōng jī.
    The boxer nimbly dodged the opponent's attack.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

闪shǎndodge
开kāiopen/away

闪 gives the dodging action, and 开 adds the idea of moving away or opening space.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 閃; 闪 is its simplified writing.

In the traditional 閃, 人 (person) appears inside 門 (gate), showing a person running through a gate. The simplified 闪 is a later shorthand.

Open 闪 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

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