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雀跃 (què yuè) — to jump for joy; to leap with joy

Definition

Formal, written verb meaning 'to leap with joy'. Unlike the everyday 高兴, it emphasizes the physical excitement of celebrating, and is mostly seen in writing or speeches rather than casual talk.

verb
to jump for joyto leap with joy

Examples

  • 。
    Hái zi men zài cāo chǎng shàng huān hū què yuè.
    The children were cheering and jumping for joy on the playground.
  • ，雀跃。
    Tīng dào hǎo xiāo xi, tā gāo xìng dé què yuè qǐ lái.
    Upon hearing the good news, he jumped for joy with happiness.
  • 雀跃。
    Guān zhòng men wèi jīng cǎi de biǎo yǎn què yuè.
    The audience leaped with joy at the wonderful performance.

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.

雀quèsparrow
跃yuèjump

雀, like a sparrow, and 跃, jump, together picture joyful leaping.

Characters in this word

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

雀 combines 小 (small) and 隹 (bird), showing a small bird, a sparrow.

Open 雀 →

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 躍; 跃 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
足足zúfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
翟
翟zhái躍yuè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 躍 pairs 足 (foot) with 翟, which gives the pronunciation; the simplified 跃 is a later abbreviation, so its parts are not the original components.

Open 跃 →
Appears in
Emotions & Feelings

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