飘移 (piāo yí) — to drift (as in car racing, clouds, or objects in air/water)

Definition

A vivid verb for 'drift' — used for cars losing traction on a curve, and for objects (leaves, balloons, clouds) carried gently through air or water. More dynamic and image-driven than the plain 漂.

verb
to drift (as in car racing, clouds, or objects in air/water)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 飘移。
    Nà liàng chē zài wān dào shàng piāo yí le yí xià.
    That car drifted for a moment on the curve.
  • 飘移。
    Shù yè zài shuǐ miàn shàng màn màn piāo yí.
    Leaves drift slowly on the water surface.
  • 飘移。
    Qì qiú zài kōng zhōng zì yóu piāo yí.
    The balloon drifts freely in the air.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

飘piāofloat
移yímove

飘 and 移 both describe movement, together meaning to drift or slide.

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 飄; 飘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
風風fēngwind
Sound part声符shēngfú
票
票piào飄piāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 飄 uses 票 for the sound and 風 for wind; the simplified 飘 is a shorthand.

Open 飘 →

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
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
多
多duō移
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

移 pairs 禾, a grain plant, with 多, which gives the sound.

Open 移 →

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