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取名 (qǔ míng) — to name (a person or thing), to give a name to; to christen (baptize); to seek fame (often in negative or sarcastic contexts)

Definition

取名 means 'to give a name to' (a person or thing), as in naming a baby. The 'seek fame' sense (取名 = 谋名) is a separate, often sarcastic meaning where 取 functions as 'seek after'.

verb
to name (a person or thing)to give a name toto christen (baptize)to seek fame (often in negative or sarcastic contexts)

Examples

  • ？
    Nǐ men gěi hái zi qǔ le yí gè míng zì ma?
    Did you give the child a name?
  • 取名。
    Shén fù zài jiào táng lǐ wèi yīng ér qǔ míng.
    The priest christened the baby in the church.
  • 取名，。
    Tā zuò zhè xiē bú shì wèi le qǔ míng, ér shì zhēn xīn xiǎng bāng máng.
    He does this not to seek fame, but genuinely wants to help.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

取qǔtake or choose
名míngname

取 means to take or choose and 名 is a name, so the phrase means to give or choose a name.

Characters in this word

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

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →

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

名 puts 夕 (crescent moon) above 口 (mouth), showing a name spoken in the dark.

Open 名 →
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