窜 (cuàn) — to flee; to scurry away (in a panic or stealthily); to exile; to banish (archaic)
Definition
Paints a quick, stealthy flight — like an animal darting from cover. Stronger and more literary than 逃 or 逃跑, which are neutral 'flee/run away'; pairs with 逐 in the formal phrase 窜逐 (banish).
verb
to fleeto scurry away (in a panic or stealthily)to exileto banish (archaic)
Examples
- 窜。Yì zhī tù zi tū rán cóng cǎo cóng lǐ cuàn le chū lái.A rabbit suddenly darted out from the grass.
- 窜。Tā bèi cuàn zhú dào le piān yuǎn dì qū.He was banished to a remote area.
- 窜。Xiǎo tōu cóng chuāng hu cuàn le chū qù.The thief dashed out of the window.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 竄; 窜 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 竄 shows 鼠 (mouse) in 穴 (hole), meaning a mouse hiding in a hole; the simplified 窜 is a later abbreviation.
Appears in
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