饶命 (ráo mìng) — to spare someone's life (verb-object compound)

Definition

A 离合词 (separable verb-object compound) meaning 'to spare someone's life'. The object 一命 or 他/她的命 can move before the verb (饶他一命) or after (饶了他一命).

verb

to spare someone's life (verb-object compound)

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

“饶” (spare) and “命” (life) combine to mean spare a life.

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 饒; 饶 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

堯

堯yáo饒ráo

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 饒 uses 食 (food) for meaning and 堯 for sound; the simplified 饶 is a later shorthand.

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

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

令

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Appears in