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表演赛 (biǎo yǎn sài) — exhibition match; exhibition game

Definition

An exhibition match or exhibition game — a sports event played for display/entertainment, not for competition standings. Distinguished from 比赛 (formal competitive match) by its non-competitive, demonstrative nature.

noun
exhibition matchexhibition game
Measure word · 场

Examples

  • 表演赛。
    Zhè chǎng biǎo yǎn sài xī yǐn le hěn duō guān zhòng.
    This exhibition match attracted a lot of spectators.
  • 表演赛。
    Tā men cān jiā le yì chǎng lán qiú biǎo yǎn sài.
    They participated in a basketball exhibition game.
  • 表演赛，。
    biǎo yǎn sài Jié shù hòu, xuǎn shǒu men hé guān zhòng yì qǐ hé yǐng.
    After the exhibition match, the players took photos together with the audience.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

表演display and perform
表biǎodisplay演yǎnperform
联合Coordinate
赛sàimatch

'表演' means display and perform, and '赛' means match, giving a match for exhibition.

Characters in this word

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

The shape 表 pairs 衣 (garment) with 毛 (hair or feather), originally an outer garment.

Open 表 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
寅
寅yín演yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

演 pairs 氵 (water) with 寅, which gives the sound yín.

Open 演 →

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 賽; 赛 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell
Sound part声符shēngfú
塞
塞sāi賽sài
Same sound today

The traditional form 賽 uses 貝 (shell) for meaning and 塞 for sound. The simplified 赛 is a later shorthand.

Open 赛 →
Appears in
Sports & Athletics

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