拐走 (guǎi zǒu) — to kidnap (and take away), to abduct | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

拐走 is a separable verb (离合词) meaning to abduct or lead someone away — usually a child — and is typically used in a passive 被 construction, as in 孩子被拐走了.

verb

to kidnap (and take away)to abduct

Examples

拐走。
Huài rén guǎi zǒu le yí gè hái zi.
A bad person kidnapped a child.
拐走。
Jǐng chá zhèng zài diào chá hái zi bèi guǎi zǒu de àn zi.
The police are investigating the case of the abducted child.
，拐走。
Tā nián jì tài xiǎo, hěn róng yì bèi guǎi zǒu.
She is too young and can easily be abducted.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

拐 means to lure or kidnap, and 走 means away, so the action takes someone away.

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

冎

冎guǎ拐guǎi

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

拐 pairs 扌, a hand radical written in full as 手, with 冎, which provides the sound guǎ.

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

The original shape showed a running man, with a foot added later.

Appears in

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