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擂台 (lèi tái) — arena (for martial arts challenges)

Definition

擂台 is a raised platform for open martial-arts challenges (打擂台), and is also used as a metaphor for any competitive arena or showdown. Plural stays the same; the verb搭配 is 打擂台 ('fight on / challenge in the ring').

noun
arena (for martial arts challenges)
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 擂台。
    Tā jué dìng shàng lèi tái tiǎo zhàn guàn jūn.
    He decided to step onto the arena to challenge the champion.
  • 擂台。
    Zhè shì wǔ lín zhōng zuì zhù míng de lèi tái.
    This is the most famous arena in the martial arts world.
  • 擂台，。
    Zài shāng yè lèi tái shàng, xiǎng yào zhàn wěn jiǎo gēn bìng bù róng yì.
    In the business arena, it's not easy to gain a foothold.

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.

擂lèichallenge
台táiplatform

擂 means challenging, and 台 means platform, so together they express an arena for contests.

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
雷
雷léi擂léi
Same sound today

擂 pairs 手 (hand) with 雷, which gives the sound.

Open 擂 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 臺; 台 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 台 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (窗台, 电视台) it is 臺; in others (台灯, 台球) (台风) it is 檯 or 台 or 颱.

The traditional form 臺 is the 喬 + 室 form; earlier versions combined a sound part with 室, and an old reading saw it as a watch tower.

Open 台 →
Appears in
Buildings & StructuresSports & Athletics

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