晚起 (wǎn qǐ) — to get up late

Definition

verb
to get up late

Examples

  • 晚起。
    Wǒ zhōu mò jīng cháng wǎn qǐ.
    I often get up late on weekends.
  • 晚起。
    Tā jīn tiān wǎn qǐ le bàn gè xiǎo shí.
    He got up half an hour late today.
  • 晚起。
    wǎn qǐ Duì shēn tǐ bù hǎo.
    Getting up late is bad for your health.

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.

晚wǎnlate
起qǐget up

晚 adds late timing to 起, meaning get up late.

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
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
免
免miǎn晚wǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

晚 pairs 日, the sun part, with 免, which supplies the sound.

Open 晚 →

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

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