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铺路 (pū lù) — to pave (a road); to pave the way; to lay the groundwork (sometimes through bribery or gift-giving)

Definition

Literal 'pave a road'; figuratively, to lay the groundwork for future success, sometimes through gifts or favors. The bare verb 铺 is broader — to spread or lay something flat — while 铺路 is the fixed phrase for paving roads or clearing a path forward.

verb
to pave (a road)to pave the wayto lay the groundwork (sometimes through bribery or gift-giving)

Examples

  • 。
    Tā men pù le yì tiáo hěn kuān de lù.
    They paved a very wide road.
  • 铺路。
    Zhè cì hé zuò wèi wǒ men wèi lái de fā zhǎn pū lù.
    This cooperation paved the way for our future development.
  • ，铺路。
    Tā sòng lǐ wù gěi lǐng dǎo, xiǎng wéi zì jǐ de chéng gōng pū lù.
    He gave gifts to the leader to pave the way for his own success.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

铺pùlay/pave
路lùroad

铺 (lay/pave) plus 路 (road): literally lay a road, hence pave the way.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鋪; 铺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīngold; metal
Sound part声符shēngfú
甫
甫fǔ鋪pū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 鋪 pairs 金 (gold; metal) with 甫 as a sound part; the simplified 铺 is a shorthand.

Open 铺 →

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
足足zú
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè路lù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Open 路 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Roads & Traffic

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