几度 (jǐ dù) — several times; how many times

Definition

Literary or written word meaning 'several times' or 'how many times' — more formal than the everyday 几次, and common in set phrases like 几度春秋.

noun
several timeshow many times

Examples

  • 几度，。
    Tā jǐ dù lái dào zhè ge chéng shì, měi cì dōu yǒu bù tóng de gǎn shòu.
    He has come to this city several times, each time with a different feeling.
  • 几度？
    Nǐ jǐ dù qù guò nà ge dì fāng?
    How many times have you been to that place?
  • 几度，。
    Jīng guò jǐ dù cháng shì, tā zhōng yú chéng gōng le.
    After several attempts, he finally succeeded.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 幾; 几 is its simplified writing.

  • 𢆶𢆶𢆶silk threads; little things
  • 戍戍shùto guard against

The traditional form 幾 puts 𢆶 (silk threads; little things) and 戍 (to guard against) together to show watching over the fine details; the simplified 几 is a later abbreviation.

Open 几 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →

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