奔放 (bēn fàng) — bold and unrestrained, untrammeled (of character, style, or artistic expression)

Definition

Used for personality, emotions, or artistic style that is openly expressive and free-flowing, with a sense of vigor and abandon rather than refinement or restraint.

adjective
bold and unrestraineduntrammeled (of character, style, or artistic expression)

Examples

  • 奔放,。
    Tā de xìng gé rè qíng bēn fàng, cóng bù yǎn shì zì jǐ de qíng gǎn.
    Her personality is passionate and unrestrained; she never hides her feelings.
  • 奔放,。
    Zhè fú huà de bǐ chù shí fēn bēn fàng, chōng mǎn shēng mìng lì.
    The brushstrokes of this painting are very bold and free, full of vitality.
  • 奔放,。
    Mǎ qún zài cǎo yuán shàng bēn fàng chí chěng, qì shì zhuàng guān.
    The herd of horses galloped wildly across the prairie, a spectacular sight.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

奔bēngallop
放fànglet loose

奔 suggests galloping, and 放 letting loose, together giving a bold, unrestrained manner.

Characters in this word

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

奔 combines 人 (person) and 止 (foot), giving the picture of a person moving on foot.

Open 奔 →

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
攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng放fàng
Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Open 放 →

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