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剖开 (pōu kāi) — to cut open; to dissect

Definition

剖开 is a transitive verb meaning to cut open or dissect, usually with a knife, for examination or to access what's inside. Pairs with the 把 construction (把X剖开).

verb
to cut opento dissect

Examples

  • 剖开。
    Yī shēng bǎ bìng rén de dù zi pōu kāi le.
    The doctor cut open the patient's abdomen.
  • 剖开。
    Kē xué jiā pōu kāi le zhè zhī qīng wā jìn xíng yán jiū.
    The scientist dissected this frog for research.
  • 剖开。
    Tā yòng dāo pōu kāi le xī guā.
    She cut open the watermelon with a knife.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

剖pōucut
开kāiopen

剖 means to cut open and 开 gives the result of being open.

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
刂Written in full as刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
咅
咅pǒu剖pōu
Same sound today

剖 pairs 刂, a knife, with 咅 for sound, to write cutting something in two.

Open 剖 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →
Appears in
Science (General)

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