搏动 (bó dòng) — to throb, to pulsate | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

verb

to throbto pulsate

搏动。
Tā de xīn zàng zài yǒu lì dì bó dòng.
His heart is throbbing powerfully.
搏动。
Wǒ néng gǎn jué dào mài bó zài bó dòng.
I can feel my pulse throbbing.
搏动。
Shāng kǒu chù de téng tòng yí zhèn zhèn bó dòng.
The pain at the wound throbs in waves.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

Both 搏 and 动 describe movement: 搏 suggests beating or throbbing, and 动 adds motion.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

尃

尃fū搏bó

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

搏 puts 手 (hand) beside 尃, which gives the sound; the hand part points to actions done with the hand.

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

重力動

Meaning part形符xíngfú

力力lìstrength

Sound part声符shēngfú

重

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

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.