(tāo) — (morpheme in compounds) surging, torrential; (figurative) heinous, monstrous (in 滔天)

Definition

滔 is a bound morpheme, not used alone: 滔天 means 'towering' (waves) or 'monstrous/heinous' (crimes). It only appears as the first half of 滔天 — never by itself.

bound form
(morpheme in compounds) surgingtorrential(figurative) heinousmonstrous (in 滔天)

Examples

  • tāo Tiān zuì xíng bù kě ráo shù.
    Monstrous crimes are unforgivable.
  • tāo Tiān jù làng xiān fān le dà chuán.
    Towering waves capsized the large ship.
  • Tā fàn xià tāo tiān dà huò.
    He committed a heinous disaster.

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