活路 (huó lù) — means of subsistence, livelihood; way out, esca… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

活路 means a 'way out' or 'livelihood' — typically the figurative escape route from a tight situation (economic, social, or conflict). Literally it can describe an unblocked passage, but the idiomatic weight is on finding a way to survive or escape.

noun

means of subsistencelivelihoodway outescape route (figurative)unblocked passage (literal)

Measure word · 条

Examples

活路。
Tā shī yè hòu yì zhí zài zhǎo xīn de huó lù.
After losing his job, he has been looking for a new means of subsistence.
活路。
Tán pàn shì jiě jué chōng tū de wéi yī huó lù.
Negotiation is the only way out of the conflict.
活路，。
Zhè tiáo xiǎo lù shì yì tiáo huó lù, kě yǐ tōng dào dà jiē.
This small path is an unblocked passage that leads to the main street.

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.

活 points to living or being passable, and 路 is the way or passage.

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

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠯑

𠯑𠯑活huó

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

活 is built from 氵 (water) and 𠯑, which shows the sound; 𠯑 later changed into 舌.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè路lù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Appears in

Abstract Concepts

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