轮番 (lún fān) — in turns; by turns; alternately; one after another

Definition

An adverb meaning 'taking turns' or 'one after another', placed before the verb (e.g. 轮番上台). It emphasizes the back-and-forth rhythm of multiple actors, unlike 轮流 (a verb/noun) which names the act of rotating.

adverb
in turnsby turnsalternatelyone after another

Examples

  • 轮番。
    Dà jiā lún fān shàng tái biǎo yǎn jié mù.
    Everyone went on stage to perform in turns.
  • 轮番，。
    Tā men lún fān tí wèn, wǒ yǒu diǎn r jǐn zhāng.
    They asked questions in turns, and I was a bit nervous.
  • 轮番，。
    Qiú yuán men lún fān shàng chǎng, méi yǒu xiū xi shí jiān.
    The players took turns coming onto the field with no break.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

轮lúnturn
番fānround

The senses of 轮 turn and 番 round stand together to mean one after another.

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 輪; 轮 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
侖
侖lún輪lún
Same sound today

The traditional form 輪 uses 車, a carriage, and 侖 for the sound; the simplified 轮 is a later shorthand.

Open 轮 →

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
田田tián
Sound part声符shēngfú
釆
釆biàn番fān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

番 is built from 釆 and 田: 釆 supplies a sound, and 田 is the meaning part, though the original sense is unclear.

Open 番 →

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