互斥 (hù chì) — be mutually exclusive | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

verb

be mutually exclusive

互斥，。
Zhè liǎng gè fāng àn hù chì, bù néng tóng shí cǎi yòng.
These two plans are mutually exclusive; they cannot be adopted at the same time.
互斥。
Shuì mián bù zú hé jiàn kāng hù chì.
Lack of sleep and health are mutually exclusive.
，AB互斥。
Zài zhè ge xì tǒng zhōng, xuǎn xiàng A hé B shì hù chì de.
In this system, options A and B are mutually exclusive.

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.

互hùmutually

互 means mutually and 斥 means exclude, together giving “mutually exclusive”.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The form 互 is a tooth shape with a distinguishing mark added.

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

广广guǎngbuilding

Sound part声符shēngfú

屰

屰nì斥chì

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An older form paired 广 (building) with 屰 (sound part); 斥 developed from that shape.