悖论 (bèi lùn) — paradox | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

paradox

悖论。
Zhè ge bèi lùn hěn yǒu yì si.
This paradox is very interesting.
悖论。
Zhé xué jiā jīng cháng tǎo lùn shí jiān bèi lùn.
Philosophers often discuss the paradox of time.
悖论。
Zhè shì yí gè jīng diǎn de luó ji bèi lùn.
This is a classic logical paradox.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

悖bèicontradictory

论lùnargument

The 悖 'contradictory' and 论 'argument' give a paradox.

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.

忄孛悖

Meaning part形符xíngfú

忄Written in full as心xīn

Sound part声符shēngfú

孛

孛bèi悖⁰bèi

Same sound today

悖 pairs 忄, the side form of 心 meaning heart/mind, with 孛, which gives the sound bèi.

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 論; 论 is its simplified writing.

言侖論

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

侖

侖lún論lùn

Same sound today

The traditional form 論 pairs 言 (“say”) with 侖 as a sound component; the simplified 论 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Appears in