优选 (yōu xuǎn) — to select the best, to choose optimally

Definition

Formal verb meaning 'to select the best / choose optimally', often used in technical or business contexts (e.g. 优选方案, 特征优选) rather than everyday choices.

verb
to select the bestto choose optimally

Examples

  • 优选，。
    Zhè ge fāng àn jīng guò duō cì yōu xuǎn, zuì zhōng què dìng le zuì yōu jiě.
    This plan was optimized multiple times, and the optimal solution was finally determined.
  • 优选，。
    Gōng sī tōng guò yōu xuǎn liú chéng, dà fú tí gāo le zhāo pìn xiào lǜ.
    The company greatly improved recruitment efficiency through an optimized selection process.
  • ，优选。
    Zài jī qì xué xí zhōng, tè zhēng yōu xuǎn shì tí shēng mó xíng xìng néng de guān jiàn.
    In machine learning, feature selection is key to improving model performance.

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.

优yōuoptimal
选xuǎnchoose

优选 combines 优 (optimal) with 选 (choose), giving the idea of choosing in the best or optimized way.

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 優; 优 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
憂
憂yōu優yōu
Same sound today

The traditional form 優 combines 亻 (人, person) with 憂 for the sound; the simplified 优 is a later abbreviation.

Open 优 →

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 選; 选 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
巽
巽xùn選xuǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 選 combines 止 with 巽, which gives the sound xùn; its sense of choosing is explained as rejecting or sending someone back. Simplified 选 is a shorthand.

Open 选 →

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