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背离 (bèi lí) — to deviate from, to depart from (a principle, standard, or course); to go against, to betray (expectations or trust)

Definition

Used when a principle, goal, or expectation is actively departed from or violated. Carries a stronger moral weight than 偏离 (stray off course), which is more neutral and often physical.

verb
to deviate fromto depart from (a principle, standard, or course)to go againstto betray (expectations or trust)

Examples

  • 背离。
    Tā de xíng wéi wán quán bèi lí le gōng sī de jià zhí guān.
    His behavior completely deviated from the company's values.
  • 背离。
    Wǒ men bù néng bèi lí zuì chū de mù biāo.
    We cannot depart from our original goal.
  • 背离。
    Zhè ge jué dìng bèi lí le rén mín de qī wàng.
    This decision went against the people's expectations.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

背bèiturn away
离lídepart

背 (turn away) and 离 (depart) combine to mean moving away from a course.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
月Written in full as肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
北
北běi背bèi
Same sound today

背 was first written as 北; 北 gives the sound, and 肉 (meat, written as 月 here) was added to separate it from 北’s north meaning.

Open 背 →

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 離; 离 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
离
离lí離lí
Same sound today

The traditional form 離 pairs 隹, a bird, with the sound part 离; the simplified 离 is a shorthand. This form first wrote a black-naped oriole, and the sound was borrowed for 'leave'.

Open 离 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsConflict & Agreement

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