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挺胸 (tǐng xiōng) — to thrust out one's chest; to stand up tall and proud

Definition

A verb-object phrase: to push the chest forward and stand tall, used to project confidence or courage. The verb 挺 can be used alone with other objects; here it pairs specifically with 胸 (chest).

verb
to thrust out one's chestto stand up tall and proud

Examples

  • 挺胸，。
    Xué huì tǐng xiōng, nǐ jiù xiǎn de gèng yǒu zì xìn le.
    Learn to thrust out your chest and you'll appear more confident.
  • ，。
    Tā tǐng zhe xiōng, dà bù zǒu jìn kǎo chǎng.
    He walked into the exam hall with his chest out, taking big strides.
  • 挺胸，。
    Jiào liàn ràng dà jiā tǐng xiōng tái tóu, kàn qǐ lái gèng yǒu jīng shén.
    The coach told everyone to thrust out their chests and raise their heads to look more energetic.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

挺tǐngpush out
胸xiōngchest

挺 means push out, 胸 means chest, so the action is pushing out the chest.

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
廷
廷tíng挺tǐng
Same sound today

挺 combines 手, a hand, with 廷, which gives its sound.

Open 挺 →

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
匈
匈xiōng胸xiōng
Same sound today

胸 adds 肉 (meat/flesh) to the original form 匈, which provides the sound.

Open 胸 →
Appears in
Body Parts

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