迫 (pǎi) — (character) used in 迫击炮 (mortar)
Definition
On its own 迫 is a bound character — learners only meet it in 迫击炮 ('mortar'). The independent verb/noun sense 'to force / urgent' reads as pò, a different tone and word.
bound form
(character) used in 迫击炮 (mortar)
Examples
- 。Shì bīng men yòng pǎi jī pào gōng jī dí rén.The soldiers used mortars to attack the enemy.
- 。Nà mén pǎi jī pào shì èr zhàn shí qī de.That mortar is from World War II.
- 。pǎi Jī pào zài xiàn dài zhàn zhēng zhōng hěn shǎo jiàn le.Mortars are rarely seen in modern warfare.
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.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
白
白bái迫pò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The form 迫 pairs the walking radical 辶 (written in full as 辵) with 白, which gives the sound.
Appears in
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