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张开 (zhāng kāi) — to open (e.g., mouth, arms, wings); to spread

Definition

A verb meaning to open or spread something that can stretch apart — mouth, arms, wings, eyes. Like 打 and 打开, it focuses on the action of opening, not creating an opening (which is 开).

verb
to open (e.g., mouth, arms, wings)to spread

Examples

  • 张开，。
    Tā zhāng kāi le zuǐ, zhǔn bèi shuō huà.
    He opened his mouth, ready to speak.
  • 张开，。
    Xiǎo niǎo zhāng kāi chì bǎng, fēi le qǐ lái.
    The little bird spread its wings and flew up.
  • 张开，。
    Tā zhāng kāi shuāng shǒu, huān yíng kè rén.
    He opened his arms to welcome the guests.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

张zhāngspread
开kāiopen

张 means spread, and 开 means open, together giving spread open.

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 張; 张 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
弓弓gōngbow
Sound part声符shēngfú
長
長cháng張zhāng
Same sound today

The traditional form 張 combines 弓, a bow, with 長, which points to the sound; the simplified 张 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 张 →

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 →
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