作废 (zuò fèi) — to become invalid; to expire; to cancel; to voi…

Definition

作废 means to void/cancel something so it no longer counts — documents, plans, tickets. 取消 is general-purpose; 废除 is for repealing laws/rules.

verb

to become invalidto expireto cancelto voidto nullify

作废。
Zhè zhāng yōu huì quàn xià ge yuè zuò fèi.
This coupon will become invalid next month.
作废。
Tā men jué dìng zuò fèi yuán lái de jì huà.
They decided to cancel the original plan.
作废。
Gōng sī guò qī de wén jiàn dōu yǐ jīng zuò fèi le.
The company's expired documents have all been voided.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

作zuòbecome; make

废fèiinvalid; discarded

作 means become or make, and 废 means invalid, so it gives become void or cancel.

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.

亻乍作

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

乍

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

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 廢; 废 is its simplified writing.

广發廢

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

發

發fā廢fèi

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 廢 shows 广 as a house and 發 as the sound.

Appears in