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放电 (fàng diàn) — to discharge electricity (battery, static, etc.); (colloquial) to give off flirtatious chemistry; to flirt

Definition

Literal meaning: to discharge electricity (batteries, static). Colloquially, to 'give off sparks' — i.e., to flirt or radiate sexual chemistry with someone.

verb
to discharge electricity (battery, static, etc.)(colloquial) to give off flirtatious chemistryto flirt

Examples

  • ，放电。
    Diàn chí kuài méi diàn le, xū yào fàng diàn.
    The battery is almost dead and needs to be discharged.
  • ，放电。
    Tā men liǎng gè rén zài yì qǐ de shí hou, jiǎn zhí zài hù xiāng fàng diàn.
    When those two are together, they are basically giving off sparks to each other.
  • ，。
    Tā zài jù huì shàng fàng le hǎo jǐ cì diàn, kě xī duì fāng méi zhù yì.
    He flirted several times at the party, but the other person didn't notice.

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
电diànelectricity

放 means 'release' and 电 means 'electricity', together release electricity.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →
Appears in
Energy & PowerRomance & Marriage

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