拦网 (lán qiú) — to block (in volleyball, at the net)

Definition

A volleyball-specific verb: the front-row player jumps at the net to block the opponent's spike. It is a separable verb — insert 了 or a measure phrase between 拦 and 网 (e.g. 拦了一个网).

verb
to block (in volleyball, at the net)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 拦网。
    Tā shàn cháng lán qiú.
    He is good at blocking.
  • 拦网。
    Tā měi cì bǐ sài dōu néng chéng gōng lán qiú.
    He can successfully block every match.
  • 。
    Tā lán le sān gè wǎng.
    He blocked (at the net) three times.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

拦lánblock
网wǎngnet

拦 means block, and 网 is the net at which the block happens.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 攔; 拦 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhands
Sound part声符shēngfú
闌
闌lán攔lán
Same sound today

In the traditional form 攔, 扌 (hands) is paired with 闌, which gives the sound. The simplified 拦 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the original sound part.

Open 拦 →

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 網; 网 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
罔
罔wǎng網wǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 網 pairs 糸 (rope) with 罔 to give the sound; the simplified 网 is a later shorthand.

Open 网 →

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