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颠簸 (diān bǒ) — (of a vehicle or ride) to jolt, to be bumpy; (fig.) to go through hardships, to have an unstable experience

Definition

颠簸 describes a vehicle or ride jolting over rough surface (road, sea, air) — also used figuratively for an unstable life. Stronger and more physical than 震动 or 震荡, which emphasize vibration or figurative shock.

verb
(of a vehicle or ride) to joltto be bumpy(fig.) to go through hardshipsto have an unstable experience

Examples

  • ，颠簸。
    Zhè duàn lù tài chà le, zuò zài chē lǐ diān bǒ dé lì hài.
    This stretch of road is so bad — sitting in the car is really bumpy.
  • ，颠簸。
    Fēi jī yù dào qì liú, kāi shǐ jù liè diān bǒ.
    The plane hit turbulence and started jolting violently.
  • 颠簸，。
    Tā yì shēng diān bǒ, dàn cóng wèi fàng qì xī wàng.
    His life was full of hardship, but he never gave up hope.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

颠diānjolt
簸bòshake

颠 and 簸 both suggest up-and-down shaking, so 颠簸 means to jolt.

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 顛; 颠 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
真
真zhēn顛diān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 顛 combines 頁, a head, with 真 as a sound clue; the simplified 颠 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 颠 →

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
箕箕jīwinnowing basket
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí簸bò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

簸 pairs 箕, a winnowing basket, with 皮, which gives the sound.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Vehicles

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