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脱离 (tuō lí) — to separate from; to break away from; to be divorced from

Definition

脱离 emphasizes severing a prior connection (organization, reality, danger) — more decisive than 分离 ('separate' in general). 摆脱 is for shedding something negative or restrictive; 脱节 means 'out of touch/disconnected.'

verb
to separate fromto break away fromto be divorced from

Examples

  • 脱离，。
    Tā jué dìng tuō lí nà ge zǔ zhī, kāi shǐ xīn de shēng huó.
    He decided to break away from that organization and start a new life.
  • 脱离，。
    Zhè ge jì huà wán quán tuō lí le shí jì qíng kuàng, hěn nán shí xiàn.
    This plan is completely divorced from reality and very hard to carry out.
  • ，脱离。
    Jīng guò zhì liáo, bìng rén zhōng yú tuō lí le wēi xiǎn.
    After treatment, the patient finally got out of danger.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

脱tuōdetach
离líseparate

脱离 combines 脱 (detach) and 离 (separate), both indicating breaking 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 脫; 脱 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròu
Sound part声符shēngfú
兌
兌duì脫tuō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 脫 puts ⺼ (meat) beside 兌, which gives the sound; the simplified 脱 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 脱 →

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
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