锻炼 (duàn liàn) — to exercise (physically), to work out; to train (skills, willpower), to develop through practice

Definition

锻炼 covers both 'to exercise the body' and 'to train/develop abilities' through practice. Versus 运动 (sports/physical exercise) it adds the 'develop through practice' sense; versus 练 (practice a skill) it includes the physical exercise sense.

verb
to exercise (physically)to work outto train (skills, willpower)to develop through practice

Examples

  • 锻炼，。
    Wǒ měi tiān duàn liàn shēn tǐ, suǒ yǐ hěn jiàn kāng.
    I exercise every day, so I'm very healthy.
  • 锻炼。
    Tā tōng guò gōng zuò duàn liàn le zì jǐ de néng lì.
    He developed his skills through work.
  • 锻炼。
    Pǎo bù shì yì zhǒng hěn hǎo de duàn liàn fāng shì.
    Running is a very good form of exercise.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

锻duànforge
炼liànrefine

'锻' forge, '炼' refine; together: tempering by repeated work.

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 鍛; 锻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
釒Written in full as金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
段
段duàn鍛duàn
Same sound today

The traditional form 鍛 pairs 釒, a metal part, with 段, which gives the sound; the simplified 锻 is a shorthand.

Open 锻 →

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 煉; 炼 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 炼 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 煉; in others (锻炼) it is 鍊.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
火火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
柬
柬jiǎn煉liàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 煉 pairs 火 (fire) with 柬 as its sound part. The simplified 炼 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical component.

Open 炼 →
Appears in
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