阔别 (kuò bié) — to be separated for a long time (formal, often used before a reunion)

Definition

Literary/formal verb meaning 'to have been parted for a long time', usually right before a reunion. Much more formal and written than the everyday 别.

verb
to be separated for a long time (formal, often used before a reunion)

Examples

  • 阔别。
    Tā kuò bié jiā xiāng yǐ jīng èr shí nián le.
    He has been away from his hometown for twenty years.
  • 阔别，，。
    kuò bié Duō nián, lǎo yǒu chóng féng, dà jiā dōu fēi cháng jī dòng.
    After being separated for many years, old friends reunited and everyone was very excited.
  • ，阔别。
    Zhè cì huí mǔ xiào, kuò bié le xǔ duō lǎo shī hé tóng xué.
    Returning to my alma mater this time, I met many teachers and classmates after a long separation.

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.

阔kuòwide/long
别biéparting

阔 conveys wide or long and 别 conveys parting, so a long parting.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 闊; 阔 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méngate; door
Sound part声符shēngfú
活
活huó闊kuò
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 闊 shows 門, a gate or door, with 活, which gives the sound; the simplified 阔 is a later shorthand.

Open 阔 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 別; 别 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 別 pairs 冎 (bone) with 刀 (knife), showing a knife cutting up bone and flesh. The simplified 别 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 别 →

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