爬树 (pá shù) — to climb a tree | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A verb-object phrase (离合词) meaning 'to climb a tree', where 爬 can split from 树 for things like 爬过一次树 or 爬树爬得很高.

verb

to climb a tree

爬树。
Tā xǐ huan pá shù.
He likes to climb trees.
。
Wǒ pá guò yí cì shù.
I have climbed a tree once.
爬树。
Hái zi men zài gōng yuán lǐ pá shù.
The children are climbing trees in the park.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

爬树 combines 爬 (climb) and 树 (tree): to climb a tree.

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.

爪巴爬

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

巴

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

爬 pairs 爪, the part that gives the meaning, with 巴, the part that gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樹; 树 is its simplified writing.

木尌樹

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

尌

尌shù樹shù

Same sound today

Originally 尌, 'to plant a tree', was written alone; the traditional form 樹 adds 木, 'tree', to it to differentiate.

Appears in