开演 (kāi yǎn) — to begin (a performance, show, movie, etc.)

Definition

开演 is used specifically for performances, shows, and films starting — not for events or stores (use 开始 for those).

verb

to begin (a performance, show, movie, etc.)

Examples

开演。
Diàn yǐng qī diǎn kāi yǎn.
The movie starts at seven.
开演，。
Yǎn chū yǐ jīng kāi yǎn le, wǒ men chí dào le.
The performance has already started; we're late.
开演？
Yīn yuè huì shén me shí hou kāi yǎn?
When does the concert start?

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

开kāibegin

演yǎnperformance

开 begins the 演, so a performance starts.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

門一廾開

門門méndoor
一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

氵寅演

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

寅

寅yín演yǎn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

Open 演 →

Appears in