皮划艇 (pí huá tǐng) — canoeing, kayaking (as a sport)

Definition

Refers both to the sport (canoeing/kayaking) and the small narrow boat used for it. The compounds 皮划艇运动 ('the sport') and 皮划艇项目 ('the event') are common.

noun
canoeingkayaking (as a sport)
Measure word · 艘

Examples

  • 皮划艇。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù xǐ huan pí huá tǐng yùn dòng.
    She has loved canoeing since she was young.
  • 皮划艇。
    pí huá tǐng Shì yí xiàng xū yào hěn qiáng shàng zhī lì liàng de yùn dòng.
    Canoeing is a sport that requires strong upper body strength.
  • 皮划艇。
    Jīn nián xià tiān wǒ men dǎ suàn qù xué pí huá tǐng.
    This summer we plan to learn kayaking.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

皮 shows a hand pulling fur off an animal pelt, with the pelt drawn at the upper left.

Open 皮 →

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
刀刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
戈
戈gē划huá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

划 is made of 刀, a knife, and 戈, a weapon. The 戈 part gives the sound.

Open 划 →

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
舟舟zhōuboat
Sound part声符shēngfú
廷
廷tíng艇tǐng
Same sound today

艇 pairs 舟, meaning boat, with 廷, which gives the sound.

Open 艇 →

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