绽开 (zhàn kāi) — to blossom, to burst into bloom (of flowers, buds); to split open, to crack open (of wounds, seams, or surfaces)

Definition

Literary, vivid verb for something splitting or bursting open — most often flowers blooming, but also wounds or seams breaking apart. It is a separable verb (离合词): 绽开 itself may split, as in 花蕾绽开了.

verb
to blossomto burst into bloom (of flowers, buds)to split opento crack open (of wounds, seams, or surfaces)

Examples

  • ，绽开。
    Chūn tiān lái le, táo huā zhàn kāi le.
    Spring has come, and the peach blossoms have burst open.
  • 绽开，。
    Tā liǎn shàng de shāng bā tū rán zhàn kāi, liú chū xuè lái.
    The scar on her face suddenly split open, and blood came out.
  • 绽开。
    Zhǒng zi zài shī rùn de ní tǔ zhōng jiàn jiàn zhàn kāi.
    The seeds gradually burst open in the moist soil.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

绽zhànburst open
开kāiopen

绽 means to split or burst, and 开 shows it becomes open.

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 綻; 绽 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
定
定dìng綻zhàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 綻 pairs 糸 (thread) with 定 for its sound; the simplified 绽 is a later shorthand.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 開; 开 is its simplified writing.

  • 門門méndoor
  • 一一yīlatch and/or wooden pole that shuts a door
  • 廾廾gǒnga pair of hands

The traditional form 開 shows 廾, a pair of hands, and 一, a latch or pole, inside 門, a door: hands opening a latched door. The simplified 开 is a shorthand form, so its parts are not the original pieces.

Open 开 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.