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暗算 (àn suàn) — to plot against, to scheme against

Definition

verb
to plot againstto scheme against

Examples

  • 暗算。
    Tā bèi rén àn suàn le.
    He was plotted against by someone.
  • 暗算。
    Gōng sī lǐ yǒu rén àn suàn tā.
    Someone in the company is plotting against him.
  • 暗算。
    Tā men jì huà àn suàn jìng zhēng duì shǒu.
    They plan to plot against their competitor.

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.

暗ànsecretly
算suànscheme

“暗” gives secretly, and “算” gives scheme, together meaning to plot against someone.

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rìsun
Sound part声符shēngfú
音
音yīn暗àn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

暗 pairs 日 (sun) with 音, which gives the sound.

Open 暗 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The current form 算 has 竹 on top, 目 in the middle, and 廾 below; the 目 part may have originally drawn counting rods, often made of bamboo.

Open 算 →
Appears in
Conflict & Agreement

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