借光 (jiè guāng) — excuse me; to ask a favor (polite expression) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Polite set phrase used to get someone's attention, ask a small favor, or ask to be let through — similar to 'excuse me' in English. More courteous than 打扰一下 for approaching a stranger.

idiom

excuse meto ask a favor (polite expression)

Examples

借光，？
jiè guāng, Qǐng wèn tú shū guǎn zěn me zǒu?
Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the library?
，。
Jiè gè guāng, ràng wǒ guò qù yí xià.
Make way, please — let me pass.
借光，？
Wǒ xiǎng gēn nín jiè guāng yí xià, néng bāng wǒ kàn kàn zhè fèn wén jiàn ma?
I'd like to ask a favor — could you take a look at this document for me?

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

借 means borrow and 光 means light, so it pictures borrowing light to pass or benefit.

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

人人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

昔

昔xī借jiè

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

借 combines 人, a person, with 昔, which shows the sound.

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

火火huǒfire
卩卩jiékneeling person

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

Appears in

Greetings & Politeness

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