返航 (fǎn háng) — to return to base (ship, aircraft, spacecraft) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal/composite verb meaning 'to return to base,' used for ships, aircraft, and spacecraft after a mission or trip. The object (the vessel) typically comes before 返航, not after it.

verb

to return to base (ship, aircraft, spacecraft)

Examples

返航。
Jiàn duì jiāng zài míng tiān fǎn háng.
The fleet will return to base tomorrow.
。
Zhè jià fēi jī yǐ jīng fǎn guò sān cì háng le.
This airplane has returned from its voyage three times already.
，返航。
Rèn wu wán chéng hòu, fēi chuán lì jí fǎn háng.
After completing the mission, the spacecraft immediately returned to base.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

返 gives return, 航 gives voyage, to return from a voyage.

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.

辶反返

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòmovement

Sound part声符shēngfú

反

反fǎn返fǎn

Same sound today

返 pairs 辶 (movement) with 反 (sound, with the sense of returning); the whole character originally meant coming back along the path one came from.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

舟亢航

Meaning part形符xíngfú

舟舟zhōuboat

Sound part声符shēngfú

亢

亢kàng航háng

Same sound today

航 shows a boat with 舟, and 亢 gives the character its sound.

Appears in

Travel & Tourism

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