送命 (sòng mìng) — to lose one's life; to get killed | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A vivid verb meaning 'to lose one's life' — usually in accidents, combat, or reckless acts, not natural death. Pairs with a location or cause (在战场上送命, 为救人送命).

verb

to lose one's lifeto get killed

Examples

送命。
Tā chà diǎn sòng mìng.
He almost lost his life.
。
Tā zài zhàn chǎng shàng sòng le yì tiáo mìng.
He lost a life on the battlefield.
，。
Wèi le jiù rén, tā sòng le zì jǐ de mìng.
To save others, he lost his own life.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

送 'send' and 命 'life' together mean sending one's life away, i.e., dying.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòto walk

Sound part声符shēngfú

灷

灷zhuàn送sòng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

送 combines 辶, the walking radical, with 灷, which supplies the sound; the walking part fits meanings like see off or deliver.

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

口口kǒumouth

Sound part声符shēngfú

令

令lìng命mìng

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

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Appears in

Safety & Danger

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