趴 (pā) — to lie on one's stomach or to lean forward with one's upper body resting on something (e.g., a table, bed, floor)
Definition
趴 means to lie face-down or lean forward on something (a desk, sofa, bed), often for a short rest or activity like reading. Different from 躺 (lie on one's back or side) and from 铺, which means to spread or lay something flat.
verb
to lie on one's stomach or to lean forward with one's upper body resting on something (e.g., a table, bed, floor)
Easily confused
Examples
- 趴。Tā pā zài shā fā shàng kàn diàn shì.He is lying on the sofa watching TV.
- 趴。Xiǎo māo pā zài chuāng tái shàng shuì jiào.The kitten is sleeping lying on the windowsill.
- 趴。Nǐ pā zhe kàn shū duì yǎn jing bù hǎo.Reading while lying on your stomach is bad for your eyes.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
趴 is built from 足 (foot) for the meaning and 八 for the sound.
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