救命 (jiù mìng) — to save (someone's) life | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

救命 literally means 'save a life' and is also shouted as the cry 'Help!'. It is more dramatic and life-threatening than 帮忙 ('do a favor') and more specific than the general 救 ('to save/rescue').

verb

to save (someone's) life

Examples

救命。
Tā zài huǒ zāi zhōng jiù mìng le wǒ de hái zi.
He saved my child in the fire.
。
Yī shēng jiù le tā de mìng.
The doctor saved his life.
，救命。
Tā hěn yǒng gǎn, zài hé lǐ jiù mìng le yí gè hái zi.
He was brave and saved a child in the river.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

救 gives save, and 命 gives life, meaning to save a life.

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

攴攴pū

Sound part声符shēngfú

求

求qiú救jiù

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

In 救, 求 gives the sound, and 攴 is the action part.

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

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

令

令lìng命mìng

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

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Appears in

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