蛰伏 (zhé fú) — to hibernate (for animals); (figuratively) to lie low, to bide one's time

Definition

Literally 'to hibernate' for animals, but more often used figuratively: lying low or biding one's time before acting. Example 2 shows the human sense: staying quiet at work until the right chance comes.

verb
to hibernate (for animals)(figuratively) to lie lowto bide one's time
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，蛰伏。
    Dōng tiān yí dào, xǔ duō dòng wù jiù kāi shǐ zhé fú le.
    As soon as winter arrives, many animals begin to hibernate.
  • 蛰伏，。
    Tā zài gōng sī zhé fú le sān nián, zhōng yú děng dào le shēng zhí de jī huì.
    He laid low at the company for three years and finally got a promotion opportunity.
  • 蛰伏，。
    Dí jūn zhé fú zài shù lín lǐ, děng dài jìn gōng de mìng lìng.
    The enemy troops were concealed in the woods, awaiting the order to attack.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

蛰zhéhibernate
伏fúlie hidden

蛰 and 伏 both describe lying hidden, together meaning to hibernate or lie low.

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 蟄; 蛰 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
虫虫chóngbug
Sound part声符shēngfú
執
執zhí蟄zhé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 蟄 pairs 虫 (bug) with 執 as its sound part; the story is about 蟄, not about 蛰.

Open 蛰 →

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

伏 combines 人 (person) and 犬 (dog), as a dog beside a person or a person taking a dog's low posture, to show lying prostrate.

Open 伏 →

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