擦边球 (cā biān qiú) — (in table tennis) an edge ball; (figurative) an act that barely stays within what is legally or socially acceptable, often exploiting gray areas

Definition

A ball that grazes the edge in table tennis; figuratively, an act that stays just inside the rules by exploiting a gray area (often collocates with 打, as in 打擦边球).

noun
(in table tennis) an edge ball(figurative) an act that barely stays within what is legally or socially acceptable, often exploiting gray areas

Examples

  • ，擦边球，。
    Zhè ge qiú dǎ dé zhēn hǎo, shì gè cā biān qiú, cái pàn dōu méi kàn qīng.
    That shot was really good — it was an edge ball, even the referee didn't see it clearly.
  • 擦边球，。
    Hěn duō guǎng gào dōu huì dǎ cā biān qiú, lì yòng fǎ lǜ huī sè dì dài.
    Many advertisements push the boundaries by exploiting legal gray areas.
  • ，擦边球。
    Tā de zhè zhǒng zuò fǎ suī rán bú fàn fǎ, dàn míng xiǎn shì zài dǎ cā biān qiú.
    Although his method isn't illegal, it's clearly a way of skirting the rules.

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.

擦边
擦cāgraze边biānedge
动宾Verb + object
球qiúball

“擦” grazes an “边”, making a “球” that barely touches the edge; figuratively acceptable.

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

The left part 扌 is the hand, showing that 擦 is an action done with the hand, such as wiping or scrubbing; the right part 察 gives the sound.

Open 擦 →

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
求
求qiú球qiú
Same sound today

球 is built from 玉, meaning jade, and 求, which gives the sound.

Open 球 →

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