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警报 (jǐng bào) — alarm; warning signal

Definition

警报 names the alarm signal itself — the siren or warning issued by an authority. Compared to 警钟 (an alarm bell, often a figurative wake-up call), 警报 is more about the official issued warning.

noun
alarmwarning signal
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 警报。
    Qì xiàng tái fā bù le tái fēng jǐng bào.
    The weather bureau issued a typhoon warning.
  • 警报，。
    jǐng bào Yì xiǎng, suǒ yǒu rén bì xū lì kè chè lí.
    As soon as the alarm sounds, everyone must evacuate immediately.
  • ，警报。
    Bié jǐn zhāng, zhè zhǐ shì yǎn xí de jǐng bào.
    Don't be nervous, this is just a drill alarm.

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.

警jǐngwarning
报bàoreport

“警” warning and “报” report, so it means a report that gives warning.

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
言言yánspoken language, speech
Sound part声符shēngfú
敬
敬jìng警
Same sound today

警 places 言 (speech) below 敬; 敬 gives the sound.

Open 警 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →
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