牌技 (pái jì) — skill in card games; card tricks (magic)

Definition

Literally 'card skill' (牌 cards + 技 skill/technique), referring to skill at playing card games or performing card magic tricks — not just one or the other.

noun
skill in card gamescard tricks (magic)

Examples

  • 牌技，。
    Tā de pái jì hěn hǎo, měi cì dǎ pái dōu yíng.
    His card-playing skill is very good; he wins every time he plays cards.
  • 牌技，。
    Zhè wèi mó shù shī de pái jì fēi cháng jīng cǎi, guān zhòng dōu kàn dāi le.
    This magician's card tricks are spectacular; the audience was mesmerized.
  • 牌技。
    Xué xí pái jì xū yào hěn duō liàn xí hé jì qiǎo.
    Learning card skills requires a lot of practice and technique.

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.

牌páicards
技jìskill

牌 (cards) and 技 (skill) mean skill in card games.

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
片片piàn
Sound part声符shēngfú
卑
卑bēi牌pái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

牌 puts 片, a flat piece, beside 卑, which gives the sound.

Open 牌 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
支
支zhī技jì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

技 pairs 扌 (hand) with 支, which gives the sound. The hand part fits the idea of skill or ability done with the hands.

Open 技 →

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