位置 (wèi zhì) — position; place; seat

Definition

General word for 'position, place, seat' — a physical spot or location. Broader than 座位 (reserved seat) and 地点 (a named place/location).

noun
positionplaceseat
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 位置？
    Nǐ néng gào sù wǒ nǐ de wèi zhì ma?
    Can you tell me your location?
  • 位置。
    Zhè ge wèi zhì yǐ jīng bèi bié rén zhàn le.
    This seat has already been taken by someone else.
  • 位置。
    Qǐng bǎ shǒu jī fàng zài zhèng què de wèi zhì shàng.
    Please put the phone in the correct position.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

位wèiposition
置zhìplace

位 and 置 both refer to a place, so together they mean position or seat.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì位wèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

位 combines 人 (man), related to people, with 立, which gives the sound. It was often simply written as 立.

Open 位 →

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
罒Written in full as网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí置zhì
Same sound today

置 is built from 罒, a net, on top and 直 below; 直 gives the sound.

Open 置 →
Appears in
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