架空 (jià kōng) — to build on stilts; to suspend in the air (literally); to sideline someone's power; to make someone a figurehead (figuratively); to fabricate; to create a fictional setting (e.g. in literature)

Definition

A verb with two figurative senses: to render someone powerless (make a figurehead) and to fabricate a fictional setting. Only the literal sense means 'build/suspend in the air.'

verb
to build on stiltsto suspend in the air (literally)to sideline someone's powerto make someone a figurehead (figuratively)to fabricateto create a fictional setting (e.g. in literature)

Examples

  • 架空。
    Zhè zuò gǔ chéng yǒu yī céng jià kōng zài shuǐ miàn shàng de zhàn dào.
    This ancient city has a boardwalk suspended above the water.
  • 架空。
    Xīn lái de jīng lǐ hěn kuài jiù bèi lǎo yuán gōng jià kōng le.
    The new manager was quickly sidelined by the veteran employees.
  • 架空。
    Tā xǐ huan zài xiǎo shuō lǐ jià kōng yí gè quán xīn de shì jiè.
    He likes to fabricate a completely new world in his novels.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

架jiàbuild
空kōngair

To 架 (build) something in the 空 (air) is to suspend it; figuratively, to leave power empty.

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
木木mùtree, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
加
加jiā架jià
Same sound today

架 shows 木, meaning wood, with 加 giving the sound; it refers to a wooden prop.

Open 架 →

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
穴穴xuécave, hole
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng空kōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

空 is built from 穴, a cave or hole, and 工, which gives the sound.

Open 空 →

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