顶替 (dǐng tì) — to replace (someone in a role or position); to…

Definition

verb

to replace (someone in a role or position)to impersonate, to assume someone's identity fraudulently

，顶替。
Tā shēng bìng le, wǒ lín shí dǐng tì tā shàng bān.
He got sick, so I temporarily replaced him at work.
顶替，。
Tā dǐng tì bié rén de míng zì cān jiā kǎo shì, bèi zhuā zhù le.
He impersonated someone else's name to take the exam and got caught.
顶替。
Zhè ge zhí wèi xū yào yǒu rén dǐng tì.
This position needs someone to fill in.

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.

替tìreplace

顶 and 替 both convey substituting for someone, so 顶替 means to replace or impersonate.

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 頂; 顶 is its simplified writing.

丁頁頂

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

Same sound today

The traditional form 頂 pairs 頁, meaning head, with 丁, which supplies the sound; the simplified 顶 is a later abbreviation.

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

替 combines 竝, two figures side by side, with 曰; the picture shows those figures changing places.