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拜倒 (bài dǎo) — (literal) to kneel down, to fall on one's knees; (figurative) to worship, to submit, to idolize (often in 拜倒在…下)

Definition

A formal/literary verb meaning to 'fall on one's knees', used almost always figuratively — to worship, submit to, or be utterly won over by someone or something (often in 拜倒在…下). The literal kneeling sense is rare today.

verb
(literal) to kneel downto fall on one's knees(figurative) to worshipto submitto idolize (often in 拜倒在…下)

Examples

  • 拜倒。
    Gǔ dài de chén zǐ jiàn le huáng dì yào bài dǎo xíng lǐ.
    Ancient officials had to kneel and bow when they saw the emperor.
  • 拜倒。
    Xǔ duō qiú mí dōu bài dǎo zài zhè wèi qiú xīng de jì shù zhī xià.
    Many fans worship this star player's skills.
  • 拜倒。
    Tā chè dǐ dì bài dǎo zài jīn qián de yòu huò qián.
    He completely succumbed to the temptation of money.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

拜bàikneel
倒dǎofall

拜 (kneel) and 倒 (fall) combine: kneel until one falls prostrate, or submit deeply.

Characters in this word

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

拜 combines 扌 (hand, written fully as 手) with 𠦪 (herbs), showing a hand holding herbs as a gift.

Open 拜 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
到
到dào倒dào
Same sound today

倒 combines 亻 (person) with 到, which gives the sound.

Open 倒 →
Appears in
Religion & Belief

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