拉力赛 (lā lì sài) — rally (endurance race)

Definition

noun

rally (endurance race)

Measure word · 场

拉力赛。
Tā jīn nián cān jiā le yí gè guó jì lā lì sài.
He participated in an international rally this year.
拉力赛。
Zhè chǎng lā lì sài yào zài shā mò lǐ pǎo wǔ tiān.
This rally will run in the desert for five days.
拉力赛。
Tā shì zhè cì lā lì sài de guàn jūn.
He is the champion of this rally.

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.

拉力pulling force

偏正Modifier + head

拉力, pulling force, with 赛, race, names an endurance race.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

立

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

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 賽; 赛 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèishell

Sound part声符shēngfú

塞

Same sound today

The traditional form 賽 uses 貝 (shell) for meaning and 塞 for sound. The simplified 赛 is a later shorthand.