迟到 (chí dào) — to be late, to arrive late

Definition

Refers to a person arriving after the expected time. 晚点 is for scheduled services (trains, flights), not people.

verb

to be lateto arrive late

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

迟到 combines late and arrive to mean arrive after the expected time.

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.

辶尺迟

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòmotion

Sound part声符shēngfú

尺

Same sound today

迟 pairs 辶, a walking sign, with 尺, used for the sound.

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

至至zhìto arrive

Sound part声符shēngfú

刀

Same sound today

到 combines 至, meaning 'to arrive', with 刀 as the sound part. The 至 part points to the idea of reaching a stopping point.

Appears in