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变戏法 (biàn xì fǎ) — (verb-object) to perform magic tricks; (figurative) to pull tricks, to deceive

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning literally 'change tricks', used both for literal stage magic and figuratively for deceiving people ('pull tricks'). Noun form 戏法 alone names a single trick.

(verb-object) to perform magic tricks(figurative) to pull tricksto deceive

Examples

  • 变戏法。
    Tā zài wǔ tái shàng biàn xì fǎ.
    He is performing magic tricks on stage.
  • ，。
    Tā biàn le yí gè xì fǎ, dà jiā dōu fēi cháng xǐ huan.
    He performed a magic trick, and everyone liked it very much.
  • 变戏法，。
    Tā zǒng ài biàn xì fǎ, dà jiā bú yào xiāng xìn tā.
    He always likes to pull tricks; everyone should not believe him.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

变biànperform
戏法trick method
戏xìtrick法fǎmethod
偏正Modifier + head

变 means perform, and 戏法 is a trick method; together they mean to perform magic tricks.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 變; 变 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
䜌
䜌䜌變biàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 變 uses 䜌 as a sound part and 攴 as a meaning part.

Open 变 →

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 戲; 戏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戈戈gēhalberd
Sound part声符shēngfú
䖒
䖒䖒戲xì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 戲, the shape combines 戈 (halberd) with 䖒, which gives the sound; the word originally meant an army's wing or flank. The simplified 戏 is a later shorthand, not the form described here.

Open 戏 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →
Appears in
Art & Fine Arts

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