脱轨 (tuō guǐ) — to derail (literal and figurative)

Definition

Literally 'leave the track' (火车脱轨 = a train derails), and by extension a life, career, or behavior 'goes off the rails' from what is normal or expected. Separable: 脱…轨.

verb
to derail (literal and figurative)

Examples

  • 脱轨。
    Huǒ chē tuō guǐ le.
    The train derailed.
  • 。
    Nà liàng huǒ chē tuō guò yí cì guǐ.
    That train derailed once.
  • 脱轨。
    Tā de shì yè tuō guǐ le.
    His career derailed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

脱tuōleave/detach
轨guǐtrack

脱 means 'to leave/detach', and 轨 is 'track', so the word pictures leaving the track.

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 軌; 轨 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
九
九jiǔ軌guǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軌 pairs 車 (cart) with 九 as a sound part; the simplified 轨 is a later shorthand.

Open 轨 →

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