<p>[一] + [v] depicts a 'single' movement  (implies starting abruptly or carrying out decisively)</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<p><strong>挥</strong>利剑砍下敌人头颅 = &quot;<strong>swing</strong> a sharp sword and cut off the enemy's head&quot;</p>
<p><strong>一挥</strong>利剑，砍下敌人头颅 = &quot;<strong>with one swing</strong> of a sharp sword, cut off the enemy's head&quot; (<em>you can imagine this movement must be starting abruptly and carried out decisively</em>)</p>
<p>~</p>
<p><strong>展翅</strong>飞上天空 - &quot;<strong>spread the wings</strong> and fly up to the sky&quot;</p>
<p><strong>一展翅</strong>便即飞上天空 - &quot;<strong>once spread the wings</strong>, it started flying up to the sky &quot;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>水乌儿一抿翅膀</p>
</blockquote>
<p>水乌儿<strong>一抿</strong>翅膀，轻轻降落在我的前草坪上 - The waterfowl with <strong>one gentle tuck</strong> of its wings, landed softly on my front lawn</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-12-01T13:56:30.317Z
2022-12-01T14:06:38.420Z
2022-12-01T14:06:38.420Z
Tang Ho
<p>水乌儿一抿翅膀</p>
<p>The waterbird tucked its wings.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-12-02T15:35:35.207Z
Is this a C-E, or E-C translation? "一抿 "seems a bad choice of word for bird's wings, and does not mean "tucked".
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-12-02T23:20:28.907Z
抿 means "gently close" close enough to "tuck in"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-12-06T23:35:28.920Z
The sentence is from Pleco.
Teppo Teerilahti
<translation><grammar><verbs>
What is the meaning/purpose of 一 in the following sentence?
# What is the meaning/purpose of 一 in the following sentence?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-12-01)

水乌儿一抿翅膀

The waterbird tucked its wings.

**Tags:** translation, grammar, verbs
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Is this a C-E, or E-C translation? "一抿 "seems a bad choice of word for bird's wings, and does not mean "tucked".  
> **username_2**: 抿 means "gently close" close enough to "tuck in"  
> **username_0**: The sentence is from Pleco.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-12-01. Score: 3

[一] + [v] depicts a 'single' movement (implies starting abruptly or carrying out decisively)

Example:

**挥**利剑砍下敌人头颅 = "**swing** a sharp sword and cut off the enemy's head"

**一挥**利剑，砍下敌人头颅 = "**with one swing** of a sharp sword, cut off the enemy's head" (*you can imagine this movement must be starting abruptly and carried out decisively*)

~

**展翅**飞上天空 - "**spread the wings** and fly up to the sky"

**一展翅**便即飞上天空 - "**once spread the wings**, it started flying up to the sky "

> 水乌儿一抿翅膀

水乌儿**一抿**翅膀，轻轻降落在我的前草坪上 - The waterfowl with **one gentle tuck** of its wings, landed softly on my front lawn


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