转体 (zhuǎn tǐ) — to twist/turn the body (in gymnastics, diving,…

Definition

A gymnastics/diving term for twisting or turning the body mid-air. The first syllable 转 (zhuǎn) marks the rotation; 体 (tǐ) is the body.

verb

to twist/turn the body (in gymnastics, diving, etc.)

转体。
Tā zài tiào shuǐ shí zuò le yí gè piào liang de zhuǎn tǐ.
He performed a beautiful body twist while diving.
转体。
Zhè ge yùn dòng yuán de zhuǎn tǐ dòng zuò fēi cháng biāo zhǔn.
This athlete's body twist movement is very standard.
转体。
Jiào liàn ràng xué shēng men liàn xí zhuǎn tǐ.
The coach had the students practice body twists.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

转 means turn and 体 means body; together they mean turning the body.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

車專轉

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūcarriage

Sound part声符shēngfú

專

專zhuān轉zhuǎn

Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

骨豊體

Meaning part形符xíngfú

骨骨gǔbone

Sound part声符shēngfú

豊

豊lǐ體tǐ

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Appears in