把舵 (bǎ duò) — to steer, to hold the rudder (literal and figurative)

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'to hold the rudder / steer' — used literally for ships and figuratively for guiding an organization or direction.

verb
to steerto hold the rudder (literal and figurative)

Examples

  • 把舵，。
    Chuán zhǎng qīn zì bǎ duò, chuán wěn wěn de qián jìn.
    The captain steered himself, and the ship advanced steadily.
  • ，把舵。
    Tā jīng yàn fēng fù, néng bāng gōng sī bǎ duò.
    He has rich experience and can steer the company.
  • ，。
    Fēng làng tài dà, tā yí gè rén bǎ bú zhù duò.
    The wind and waves were too strong; he couldn't hold the rudder alone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

把bǎhold
舵duòrudder

把舵 means to steer: 把 is to hold, and 舵 is the rudder.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
巴
巴bā把bǎ
Same sound today

把 combines 扌, a hand, with 巴 for its sound.

Open 把 →

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
舟舟zhōuboat
Sound part声符shēngfú
它
它tā舵duò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

舵 pairs 舟, a boat, with 它, which gives the sound.

Open 舵 →

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