遨游 (áo yóu) — to travel (leisurely), to roam | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary verb meaning to roam or travel freely, often through vast spaces like the sea, sky, or cosmos — more elevated and poetic than the everyday 旅游 ('to travel/tour').

verb

to travel (leisurely)to roam

Examples

遨游。
Tā xǐ huan zài yǔ zhòu zhōng áo yóu.
He likes to roam in space.
遨游，。
Wǒ men áo yóu zài shān shuǐ zhī jiān, xiǎng shòu zì rán.
We travel among mountains and rivers, enjoying nature.
遨游，。
Tā áo yóu sì hǎi, wú qiān wú guà.
He roams the four seas, unattached to anything.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

遨áoroam

遨 suggests roaming, and 游 suggests traveling, giving the sense of roaming freely.

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.

辶敖遨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk

Sound part声符shēngfú

敖

敖áo遨áo

Same sound today

遨 puts 辶 (walk) with 敖, which gives the sound and fits the rambling sense.

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

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

斿

斿yóu游yóu

Same sound today

游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.

Appears in

Travel & Tourism

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