俯卧撑 (fǔ wò chēng) — push-up (exercise) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

push-up (exercise)

Measure word · 个

Examples

俯卧撑。
Tā měi tiān zuò wǔ shí gè fǔ wò chēng.
He does fifty push-ups every day.
俯卧撑，。
Gāng kāi shǐ zuò fǔ wò chēng hěn lèi, jiān chí jiù hǎo.
It's tiring when you first start doing push-ups, but just stick with it.
俯卧撑。
Zhè ge dòng zuò bú shì pǔ tōng de fǔ wò chēng.
This move is not an ordinary push-up.

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.

俯卧face down

俯fǔbend down卧wòlie down

联合Coordinate

撑chēngpush up

'俯卧' and '撑' describe a support action done face down.

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

勹勹bāoperson bending over

Sound part声符shēngfú

府

府fǔ俯fǔ

Same sound today

俯 uses 府 to show the sound fǔ and 勹 to show a person bending over; the modern left side comes from 勹.

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.

臣人臥

臣臣chéneye pointing down
人人rénperson

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

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 撐; 撑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

手手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

牚

牚chēng撐chēng

Same sound today

The traditional form 撐 pairs 手 (hand) with 牚, which gives the sound; the simplified 撑 is a shorthand.

Appears in

Fitness & Exercise

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