勾销 (gōu xiāo) — to write off, to cancel (debts, accounts); to blot out, to erase (from memory, a record)

Definition

Used when something is formally canceled or struck from a record (a debt, account, contract) — stronger and more official than just 取消, and often implies erasing it from the books.

verb
to write offto cancel (debts, accounts)to blot outto erase (from memory, a record)

Examples

  • 勾销。
    Gōng sī jué dìng gōu xiāo nà bǐ zhài wù.
    The company decided to write off that debt.
  • 。
    Guò qù de bù yú kuài dōu yì bǐ gōu xiāo ba.
    Let's wipe the slate clean of the past unpleasantness.
  • 勾销。
    Zhè ge hé tong yǐ jīng gōu xiāo le.
    This contract has already been canceled.

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.

勾gōustrike through
销xiāocancel

勾, to strike through, and 销, to cancel, both point to writing something off.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 勾 →

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 銷; 销 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
肖
肖xiào銷xiāo
Same sound today

The traditional form 銷 pairs 金 (metal) with 肖 as a sound part; simplified 销 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not historical components.

Open 销 →

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