集体舞 (jí tǐ wǔ) — group dance (e.g., a folk dance performed by many people)

Definition

noun
group dance (e.g., a folk dance performed by many people)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 集体舞。
    Tā men tiào le yí gè chuán tǒng de jí tǐ wǔ.
    They danced a traditional group dance.
  • 集体舞。
    Xué xiào zǔ zhī le yí gè jí tǐ wǔ bǐ sài.
    The school organized a group dance competition.
  • 集体舞。
    Guǎng chǎng shàng de rén men zài tiào jí tǐ wǔ.
    People in the square are dancing a group dance.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

集体group
集jígather体tǐbody
偏正Modifier + head
舞wǔdance

集体 brings the sense of a group, and 舞 names the dance.

Characters in this word

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

集 pairs 隹 (bird) with 木 (tree), showing birds on a tree, hence a gathering.

Open 集 →

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 體; 体 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
骨骨gǔbone
Sound part声符shēngfú
豊
豊lǐ體tǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 體 pairs 骨 (bone) with 豊 as a sound part; this note is about 體, not about the parts of 体.

Open 体 →

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
舛舛chuǎnsteps, feet in convergent direction
Sound part声符shēngfú
無
無wú舞wǔ
Same sound today

舞 combines 舛, showing feet in converging steps, with 無 above. 無 gave the sound and also preserved its older meaning of dancing, so the shape points to dancing.

Open 舞 →

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