拍手叫好 (pāi shǒu jiào hǎo) — to applaud enthusiastically; to cheer and clap (in approval)

Definition

A fixed expression meaning to clap one's hands and shout approval — louder, more enthusiastic approval than simply 叫好 or 鼓掌. Used as a single verbal phrase for a crowd or group's reaction.

verb
to applaud enthusiasticallyto cheer and clap (in approval)

Examples

  • 拍手叫好，。
    Guān zhòng men fēn fēn pāi shǒu jiào hǎo, wèi yǎn yuán de jīng cǎi biǎo yǎn hè cǎi.
    The audience applauded enthusiastically, cheering for the actors' wonderful performance.
  • ，拍手叫好，。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng jié shù hòu, quán chǎng pāi shǒu jiào hǎo, zhǎng shēng jīng jiǔ bù xī.
    After his speech ended, the whole audience cheered and clapped, with applause lasting a long time.
  • ，拍手叫好。
    Kàn dào zhōng guó duì yíng dé bǐ sài, qiú mí men jī dòng dì pāi shǒu jiào hǎo.
    Seeing the Chinese team win the match, the fans excitedly cheered and clapped.

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
白
白bái拍pāi
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拍 puts 手 (hand) beside 白, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 拍 →

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

手 draws a five-fingered human hand: the top line is a bent middle finger, and the horizontal lines show the other four fingers.

Open 手 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
丩
丩jiū叫jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

叫 shows a mouth 口 and a sound part 丩. The mouth fits the old sense of shouting.

Open 叫 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

好 joins 女 (woman) and 子 (child), understood as a woman with a child, linked to goodness or affection.

Open 好 →

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