扑通 (pū tōng) — plop (sound of something falling into water)

Definition

Onomatopoeia for a 'plop' or 'splash' — the sound of something heavy dropping into water. Often paired with 一声 ("with a plop").

onomatopoeia
plop (sound of something falling into water)

Examples

  • 扑通，。
    pū tōng Yì shēng, shí tou diào jìn le shuǐ lǐ.
    With a plop, the stone fell into the water.
  • ，扑通。
    Tā tiào jìn hé lǐ, zhī tīng jiàn pū tōng yì shēng.
    He jumped into the river, and all that was heard was a plop.
  • 扑通，。
    pū tōng, Xiǎo māo bù xiǎo xīn diào jìn le chí táng.
    Plop — the kitten accidentally fell into the pond.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卜
卜bǔ扑pū
Same sound today

扑 uses 手 (hand) for meaning and 卜 (bǔ) for sound.

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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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng通tōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

通 pairs 辶, a part associated with movement, with 甬, which gives the sound.

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