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一边 (yī biān) — (adverb) used in the 一边…一边… pattern to indicate two simultaneous actions

Definition

Marks two actions happening at the same time, always in the pair 一边…一边… (e.g. 一边走一边听). It only means 'simultaneously' here — not 'on one hand / on the other' (that's 一面 or 反之).

adverb
used in the 一边…一边… pattern to indicate two simultaneous actions

Examples

  • 。
    Tā yì biān zǒu lù yì biān tīng yīn yuè.
    He listens to music while walking.
  • 。
    Mā ma yì biān zuò fàn yì biān chàng gē.
    Mom sings while cooking.
  • 。
    Wǒ men yì biān hē chá yì biān liáo tiān.
    We chat while drinking tea.

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.

一yīone
边biānside

一 and 边 give one side, used for actions happening together.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →

Grammar

Appears in
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