挑战赛 (tiǎo zhàn sài) — challenge match; tournament (often where a titl… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

challenge matchtournament (often where a title is at stake)

Measure word · 场

Examples

挑战赛。
Zhè cì tiǎo zhàn sài de guàn jūn kě yǐ huò dé yí wàn yuán jiǎng jīn.
The winner of this challenge match can receive a 10,000 yuan prize.
挑战赛。
Tā bào míng cān jiā le wéi qí tiǎo zhàn sài.
He signed up for the Go challenge tournament.
挑战赛。
Míng tiān yǒu yì chǎng jīng cǎi de lán qiú tiǎo zhàn sài.
There's an exciting basketball challenge match tomorrow.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

挑战challenge

挑tiāoprovoke战zhànbattle

动宾Verb + object

挑战 names a contest and 赛 marks a match, giving a challenge match.

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.

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 賽; 赛 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

貝貝bèishell

Sound part声符shēngfú

塞

塞sāi賽sài

Same sound today

The traditional form 賽 uses 貝 (shell) for meaning and 塞 for sound. The simplified 赛 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

Sports & Athletics

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