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干杯 (gān bēi) — to toast, to drink a toast; Cheers! (used as a toast)

Definition

A fixed phrase used when clinking glasses to make a toast — say it to wish someone success, health, or a happy occasion. As a verb it means 'to toast' (e.g. 为成功干杯).

verb
to toastto drink a toastCheers! (used as a toast)

Examples

  • ，干杯！
    Lái, dà jiā yì qǐ gān bēi!
    Come on, let's all toast together!
  • 。
    Tā men wèi chéng gōng gān le yì bēi.
    They toasted to success.
  • ，干杯。
    Zài jù huì shàng, wǒ men hù xiāng gān bēi.
    At the party, we toasted each other.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

干gānmake dry/empty
杯bēicup

干 contributes 'make dry or empty' and 杯 is the cup, so the phrase means to drink the cup dry.

Characters in this word

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乙乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
倝
倝gàn乾gān
Same sound today
Open 干 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
不
不bù杯bēi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

杯 is built from 木, meaning wood, and 不, which gives the sound.

Open 杯 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Alcohol & TobaccoGreetings & Politeness2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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