放毒 (fàng dú) — to put poison (in food, drink, etc.); to spread malicious remarks or poisonous ideas

Definition

Literally 'release poison,' 放毒 has two senses: the literal act of putting poison in food or drink, and the figurative sense of spreading malicious ideas or rumors to 'poison' people's minds.

verb
to put poison (in food, drink, etc.)to spread malicious remarks or poisonous ideas

Examples

  • 。
    Tā zài shuǐ lǐ fàng le yí cì dú.
    He put poison in the water once.
  • 放毒，。
    Tā zǒng zài wǎng luò shàng fàng dú, sàn bù yáo yán.
    He's always spreading poison online, spreading rumors.
  • 放毒，。
    Zhè zhǒng yán lùn shì zài fàng dú, dà jiā bú yào xiāng xìn.
    This kind of speech is poisoning people; don't believe it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

放fàngrelease
毒dúpoison

放 expresses releasing or spreading, and 毒 names the poisonous substance or idea.

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
攵Written in full as攴pūhand, action
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng放fàng
Same sound today

放 uses 方 for its sound and 攵, a hand/action part, to mark an action of release.

Open 放 →

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
屮屮chèvegetation
Sound part声符shēngfú
毐
毐ǎi毒dú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

毒 pairs 屮, a plant part, with 毐 as a sound part; this form was used for a poisonous plant.

Open 毒 →

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