掀翻 (xiān fān) — to overturn, to knock over (a physical object)

Definition

An emphatic transitive verb meaning to violently flip or knock something over (often a table, chair, or boat). Unlike a plain 翻 it stresses force and upset, and takes a 把-object when the thing overturned is specific.

verb
to overturnto knock over (a physical object)

Examples

  • 掀翻。
    Kuáng fēng bǎ xiǎo chuán xiān fān le.
    The strong wind capsized the small boat.
  • 掀翻。
    Tā shēng qì dì xiān fān le zhuō zi.
    He angrily overturned the table.
  • ，掀翻。
    Zài bǐ sài zhōng, tā bǎ duì shǒu xiān fān zài dì shàng.
    During the match, he flipped his opponent onto the ground.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

掀xiānlift
翻fānturn over

掀 lifts or flips something so that 翻 turns it over.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
欣
欣xīn掀xiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 扌 is the hand radical, showing an action done with the hand. The right part 欣 gives the character its sound.

Open 掀 →

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
羽羽yǔwings
Sound part声符shēngfú
番
番fān翻fān
Same sound today

翻 pairs 羽 (wings) with 番, which gives the sound. The shape shows something fluttering.

Open 翻 →

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