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起落 (qǐ luò) — to rise and fall; to fluctuate; ups and downs; fluctuations

Definition

to rise and fallto fluctuateups and downsfluctuations

Examples

  • 起落。
    Jīng jì xíng shì de qǐ luò ràng tóu zī zhě hěn dān xīn.
    The rise and fall of the economic situation worries investors.
  • 起落。
    Tā de rén shēng jīng lì le hěn duō qǐ luò.
    His life has experienced many ups and downs.
  • 起落。
    Gǔ piào jià gé de qǐ luò shì zhèng cháng de.
    Fluctuations in stock prices are normal.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

起qǐrise
落luòfall

“起” means rise and “落” means fall, so together they describe rising and falling or ups and downs.

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
走走zǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
巳
巳sì起qǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

起 is made from 走 and 巳: 走 is the part connected with walking or running, and 巳 gives the sound.

Open 起 →

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
艹Written in full as艸cǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
洛
洛luò落luò
Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Open 落 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsChange & Process

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