挑战 (tiǎo zhàn) — to challenge; challenge (noun) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used both as a verb ('to challenge' someone to do something) and a noun ('a challenge'). Stronger and more confrontational than 挑衅 ('to provoke'), which is purely hostile; 挑战 can be positive, like a worthy goal.

to challengechallenge (noun)

Measure word · 个

Examples

挑战。
Tā tiǎo zhàn wǒ cān jiā bǐ sài.
He challenged me to join the competition.
挑战。
Zhè shì yí gè hěn dà de tiǎo zhàn.
This is a very big challenge.
挑战。
Wǒ tiǎo zhàn nǐ wán chéng zhè ge rèn wu.
I challenge you to complete this task.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

挑tiāoprovoke

“挑” (provoke) and “战” (battle) combine to mean provoking someone into a contest.

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

兆

兆zhào挑tiāo

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

挑 has 手, meaning hand, and 兆, which gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

占戈战

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn战zhàn

Same sound today

战 pairs 占, which gives its sound, with 戈, a weapon.

Appears in

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