仰卧起坐 (yǎng wò qǐ zuò) — sit-up (exercise)

Definition

noun
sit-up (exercise)

Examples

  • 仰卧起坐。
    Wǒ měi tiān zuò wǔ shí gè yǎng wò qǐ zuò.
    I do fifty sit-ups every day.
  • 仰卧起坐。
    yǎng wò qǐ zuò Kě yǐ duàn liàn fù bù jī ròu.
    Sit-ups can strengthen your abdominal muscles.
  • 仰卧起坐。
    Tǐ yù kè shàng lǎo shī ràng wǒ men zuò le sān zǔ yǎng wò qǐ zuò.
    In PE class the teacher had us do three sets of sit-ups.

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.

仰卧lie face up
仰yǎngface up卧wòlie
偏正Modifier + head
起坐rise and sit
起qǐrise坐zuòsit
联合Side by side

The name pairs 仰卧, lying face up, with 起坐, rising to sit, as the two actions of the exercise.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
卬
卬áng仰yǎng
Same sound today

In 仰, the left part 亻 represents a person, and the right part 卬 gives the sound.

Open 仰 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 臥; 卧 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 臥 pairs 臣 (an eye pointing down) with 人 (a person).

Open 卧 →

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 坐 combines 留, 'to stay', and 土, 'ground'.

Open 坐 →
Appears in
Fitness & Exercise

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