抛洒 (pāo sǎ) — to shed (tears, blood, sweat, etc.), to drip

Definition

A literary verb meaning 'to shed' (tears, blood, sweat) — paints a vivid, often heroic or emotional picture, more elevated than everyday 掉 or 流. Usually used in writing, not casual speech.

verb
to shed (tears, blood, sweat, etc.)to drip

Examples

  • 抛洒。
    Zhàn shì men wèi zǔ guó pāo sǎ rè xuè.
    The soldiers shed hot blood for the motherland.
  • 抛洒。
    Tā měi tiān zài tián lǐ pāo sǎ hàn shuǐ.
    He sheds sweat in the fields every day.
  • 抛洒。
    Tā pāo sǎ zhe xǐ yuè de lèi shuǐ.
    She shed tears of joy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

抛pāothrow
洒sǎsprinkle

抛 means throw and 洒 means sprinkle; together they describe shedding tears or blood.

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 拋; 抛 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 拋, not 抛, shows 手 (hand), 尤, and 力 (power).

Open 抛 →

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
西
西xī洒sǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

洒 combines 水, the water part, with 西, which gives the sound.

Open 洒 →

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