副总 (fù zǒng) — deputy general manager; vice chief

Definition

deputy general managervice chief

Measure word · 位

副总。
Wǒ men gōng sī de fù zǒng míng tiān chū chāi.
The deputy general manager of our company is going on a business trip tomorrow.
副总。
fù zǒng Bàn gōng shì zài èr lóu.
The vice chief's office is on the second floor.
副总。
Zhè wèi shì liú fù zǒng.
This is Deputy Manager Liu.

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.

“副” deputy plus “总” chief: a deputy chief or vice general manager.

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.

畐刂副

Meaning part形符xíngfú

刂Written in full as刀dāoknife

Sound part声符shēngfú

畐

畐fú副fù

Same sound today

副 is built from 畐, which gives its sound, and 刂, a form of the knife 刀.

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 總; 总 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mìrope

Sound part声符shēngfú

悤

悤cōng總zǒng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 總 has 糸, a rope, and 悤 as a sound part; the rope part is for binding together. This account is for 總, not for 总.

Appears in