绑架 (bǎng jià) — to kidnap, to abduct, to hijack | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

绑架 covers both kidnapping a person and hijacking a vehicle. Broader than 劫持 and 挟持 (which usually mean hijacking/seizing), and more formal than the colloquial 绑 ('tie up').

verb

to kidnapto abductto hijack

Examples

绑架。
Dǎi tú bǎng jià le yì míng ér tóng.
The gangsters kidnapped a child.
绑架。
Kǒng bù fèn zǐ qǐ tú bǎng jià nà jià kè jī.
The terrorists attempted to hijack that passenger plane.
绑架。
Jǐng fāng xùn sù pò huò le chéng gōng jiě jiù le bèi bǎng jià de rén zhì.
The police successfully rescued the hostages who had been kidnapped.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

绑 means to tie, and 架 can mean to carry; together they describe binding and carrying someone away.

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 綁; 绑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìthin silk; thread

Sound part声符shēngfú

邦

邦bāng綁bǎng

Same sound today

The traditional form 綁 pairs 糸 (thin silk; thread) with 邦 (bāng), which gives the sound. The simplified 绑 is a later shorthand.

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

加木架

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree, wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

加

加jiā架jià

Same sound today

架 shows 木, meaning wood, with 加 giving the sound; it refers to a wooden prop.

Appears in

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