删除 (shān chú) — to delete; to cancel | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

删除 means 'to delete' — focused on removing digital content (files, messages, records). 取消 is for canceling plans or orders, not erasing data.

verb

to deleteto cancel

Examples

删除。
Qǐng bǎ zhè ge wén jiàn jiā shān chú diào.
Please delete this folder.
删除。
Wǒ bù xiǎo xīn shān chú le yí gè zhòng yào de lián xì rén.
I accidentally deleted an important contact.
删除。
Tā gāng shān chú le yì tiáo fā cuò de duǎn xìn.
He just deleted a text message that was sent by mistake.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

Both 删 and 除 point to clearing something away, giving the sense of delete.

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 刪; 删 is its simplified writing.

冊冊cèbamboo slips strung together
刀刀dāoknife

The traditional form 刪 pairs 冊, bamboo slips strung together, with 刀, a knife; the simplified 删 is a later shorthand.

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

阜阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

余

余yú除chú

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

除 is built from 阜 and 余, with 余 giving the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Computers & Internet

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