一边倒 (yì biān dǎo) — to lean to one side; to side completely with someone; to have overwhelming superiority; to be one-sided

Definition

An idiomatic verb phrase meaning a contest, opinion, or situation is completely one-sided — with no real opposition. Pairs with abstract subjects like 舆论, 比赛, 局势, not concrete tilting objects.

verb
to lean to one sideto side completely with someoneto have overwhelming superiorityto be one-sided

Examples

  • ，一边倒。
    Zài zhè ge wèn tí shàng, yú lùn jī hū yì biān dǎo.
    On this issue, public opinion almost entirely leans to one side.
  • 一边倒，。
    Bǐ sài jié guǒ yì biān dǎo, wǒ men duì qīng sōng yíng le.
    The game result was one-sided; our team won easily.
  • 一边倒，。
    Tā shuō huà zǒng shì yì biān dǎo, cóng bù tīng bié rén de yì jiàn.
    He always takes one side when speaking and never listens to others.

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.

一边one side
一yīone边biānside
偏正Modifier + head
倒dǎofall/lean

一边 points to one side and 倒 is fall or lean, giving a lean toward that side.

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 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
到
到dào倒dào
Same sound today

倒 combines 亻 (person) with 到, which gives the sound.

Open 倒 →

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