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逃窜 (táo cuàn) — to flee in disorder; to scatter and run away

Definition

A vivid verb for fleeing in panic and disorder, often after a defeat. Stronger and more chaotic than 逃跑, with no organized direction.

verb
to flee in disorderto scatter and run away

Examples

  • 逃窜。
    Dí rén bèi dǎ dé sì chù táo cuàn.
    The enemy was beaten and fled in all directions.
  • ，逃窜。
    Fěi tú kàn dào jǐng chá lái le, huāng máng táo cuàn.
    The bandits saw the police coming and fled in panic.
  • ，逃窜。
    Zhàn dòu jié shù hòu, kuì bài de cán bīng xiàng nán fāng táo cuàn.
    After the battle ended, the routed remnants fled southward.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

逃táoflee
窜cuànflee

逃 and 窜 both carry fleeing, so the result is running away in disorder.

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chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
兆
兆zhào逃táo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

逃 pairs 辶 (walk) with 兆, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 逃 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 竄; 窜 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 竄 shows 鼠 (mouse) in 穴 (hole), meaning a mouse hiding in a hole; the simplified 窜 is a later abbreviation.

Open 窜 →
Appears in
Crime & PoliceSafety & Danger

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