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现代舞 (xiàn dài wǔ) — modern dance

Definition

noun
modern dance
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 现代舞，。
    Tā xué le sān nián de xiàn dài wǔ, xià ge yuè jiù yào shàng tái biǎo yǎn le.
    She has studied modern dance for three years and will perform on stage next month.
  • 现代舞。
    Zhè chǎng xiàn dài wǔ yǎn chū róng hé le chuán tǒng hé chuàng xīn de yuán sù.
    This modern dance performance blends traditional and innovative elements.
  • 。
    Xiàn dài wǔ duì shēn tǐ de líng huó xìng hé biǎo dá lì yāo qiú hěn gāo.
    Modern dance demands high flexibility and expressiveness from the body.

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.

现代modern era
现xiàncurrent代dàiera
偏正Modifier + head
舞wǔdance

“现代” means current era and “舞” means dance, giving dance of the modern era.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 現; 现 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
見
見jiàn現
Same sound today

The traditional form 現 pairs 玉 (jade) with 見 as a sound part; the simplified 现 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 现 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì代dài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 代, 亻 shows a person, and 弋 gives the sound.

Open 代 →

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
舛舛chuǎnsteps, feet in convergent direction
Sound part声符shēngfú
無
無wú舞wǔ
Same sound today

舞 combines 舛, showing feet in converging steps, with 無 above. 無 gave the sound and also preserved its older meaning of dancing, so the shape points to dancing.

Open 舞 →
Appears in
Dance & Performance

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