捕鱼 (bǔ yú) — to catch fish; to fish (as a livelihood or acti… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A set phrase (verb-object) for catching fish as work or activity, often as a livelihood (以捕鱼为生). Unlike 钓鱼, which is recreational angling with a rod, 捕鱼 is broader and includes nets and commercial fishing.

verb

to catch fishto fish (as a livelihood or activity)

Examples

捕鱼。
Tā měi tiān chū hǎi bǔ yú.
He goes out to sea every day to catch fish.
。
Zhè ge yuè wǒ men zhī bǔ le liǎng cì yú.
We only went fishing twice this month.
捕鱼。
Yán hǎi jū mín yǐ bǔ yú wéi shēng.
Coastal residents make a living by fishing.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

捕 expresses catching and 鱼 names what is caught, together meaning to catch fish.

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.

扌甫捕

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

甫

甫fǔ捕bǔ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

捕 uses 扌 (a hand, from 手) to show catching, and 甫 for the sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 魚; 鱼 is its simplified writing.

For 鱼, the traditional form 魚 is a picture of a fish.

Appears in

Fish & Aquatic Life

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