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各就各位 (gè jiù gè wèi) — (fixed expression) On your mark! (sports command); (figurative) take your positions; everyone get ready

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'take your positions' — literally used at the start of a race (with 预备, 跑), and figuratively used to tell everyone to get ready before starting a task.

idiom
(fixed expression) On your mark! (sports command)(figurative) take your positionseveryone get ready

Examples

  • ：“各就各位，，！”
    Cái pàn dà shēng shuō: "gè jiù gè wèi, yù bèi, pǎo!"
    The referee shouted, 'On your mark, get set, go!'
  • ：“各就各位，。”
    Lǎo shī zǒu jìn jiào shì shuō: "dà jiā gè jiù gè wèi, wǒ men kāi shǐ shàng kè."
    The teacher walked into the classroom and said, 'Everyone, take your seats, let's start class.'
  • ，各就各位。
    Bǐ sài qián, suǒ yǒu yùn dòng yuán dōu gè jiù gè wèi.
    Before the competition, all the athletes took their positions.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

各 shows a sole of a foot (夂) coming into an entrance (口), for the sense of coming or entering.

Open 各 →

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

An older form paired 享, a temple, with 京, a tower, showing sacrifice at a high place; in 就 the temple part was dropped and a right part for going upward was added.

Open 就 →

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

各 shows a sole of a foot (夂) coming into an entrance (口), for the sense of coming or entering.

Open 各 →

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rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì位wèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

位 combines 人 (man), related to people, with 立, which gives the sound. It was often simply written as 立.

Open 位 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesSports & Athletics

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