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举世 (jǔ shì) — (noun) the whole world; (adverb) throughout the world; universally

Definition

Literary adverb/noun meaning 'the whole world, universally' — used in formal writing (e.g. 举世闻名, 举世无双). Not used in everyday speech.

noun
the whole world
adverb
throughout the worlduniversally

Examples

  • 。
    Tā de chéng jiù jǔ shì wén míng.
    His achievements are world-famous.
  • 。
    Zhè ge fā xiàn jǔ shì wú shuāng.
    This discovery is unparalleled in the world.
  • 举世。
    Tā de gù shi jǔ shì jiē zhī.
    His story is known throughout the world.

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.

举jǔwhole/all
世shìworld

The sense of whole in 举 combines with 世 (world) to mean the entire world.

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 舉; 举 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
與
與yǔ舉jǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 舉 pairs 與, which gives the sound, with 手, a hand; the simplified 举 is a later shorthand.

Open 举 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 世 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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