越轨 (yuè guǐ) — to overstep bounds, to transgress (social norms… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Verb meaning to overstep social or moral norms — describes behavior that crosses accepted boundaries (e.g. affairs, corruption), not minor rule-breaking.

verb

to overstep boundsto transgress (social norms, rules)

Examples

越轨。
Tā yīn wèi yuè guǐ ér bèi gōng sī kāi chú le.
He was fired by the company for overstepping bounds.
，。
Tā zhè cì yuè le guǐ, méi yǒu rén yuán liàng tā.
This time he transgressed, and no one forgave him.
越轨。
Shè huì duì yuè guǐ xíng wéi yǒu yán gé de guī fàn.
Society has strict norms for deviant behavior.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

越 means cross and 轨 means track, so it means to go beyond 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.

走戉越

Meaning part形符xíngfú

走走zǒuto walk or run

Sound part声符shēngfú

戉

戉yuè越yuè

Same sound today

越 is built from 走 (to walk or run) and 戉 (which supplies the sound); the 走 part shows the idea of going over or crossing.

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.

車九軌

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.

Appears in

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