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交织 (jiāo zhī) — to interweave, to intertwine

Definition

交织 is used mostly figuratively for abstract things mixing together (emotions, sounds, themes), unlike 织, which is literally weaving thread or fabric. Often takes 着 or 在一起.

verb
to interweaveto intertwine

Examples

  • 交织。
    Tā de xīn zhōng jiāo zhī zhe mèng xiǎng yǔ xiàn shí.
    Dreams and reality interweave in his heart.
  • 交织，。
    Yōu měi de gē shēng yǔ jí tā shēng jiāo zhī zài yì qǐ, lìng rén táo zuì.
    The beautiful singing and guitar music interweave together, intoxicating people.
  • 交织。
    Bù tóng yán sè de sī xiàn jiāo zhī chéng yì fú měi lì de tú àn.
    Different colored silk threads interweave into a beautiful pattern.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

交jiāocross
织zhīweave

The word joins 交, 'to cross', and 织, 'to weave', so things intertwine as if woven across one another.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

交 originally drew a human with crossed legs. In the modern shape, the upper part resembles a standing person.

Open 交 →

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 織; 织 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
戠
戠zhí織zhī
Same sound today

The traditional form 織 uses 糸, silk, with 戠 for the sound. The simplified 织 is a later shorthand.

Open 织 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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