拦路 (lán lù) — to block the way, to obstruct

Definition

A set-phrase verb meaning to physically block the road or way, often with hostile intent (拦路抢劫 = 'mug passers-by'). Closer to 'bar / waylay' than to general 挡 (which just means 'get in the way' of anything).

verb

to block the wayto obstruct

Examples

拦路，。
Qián miàn yǒu liàng chē lán lù, wǒ men guò bú qù.
There's a car blocking the way ahead; we can't get through.
，。
Tā lán le lù, bú ràng rèn hé rén tōng guò.
He blocked the way and wouldn't let anyone pass.
。
Zhè tiáo lù shang yǒu rén lán lù qiǎng jié.
Someone is robbing people on this road by blocking the way.

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

路lùroad

拦 means to block and 路 means road, so the sense is stopping passage along a road.

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.

扌闌攔

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

足足zú

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè路lù

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

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Open 路 →

Appears in

Roads & Traffic