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匹配 (pǐ pèi) — to match; to be compatible (colors, systems, partners); (formal) to mate; to marry

Definition

Technical/formal 'to match, to be compatible' (colors, software, systems, people). Compared to 搭配, 匹配 emphasizes functional/system compatibility rather than aesthetic pairing; 兼容 is close but usually used for hardware/software.

verb
to matchto be compatible (colors, systems, partners)(formal) to mateto marry

Examples

  • 匹配。
    Zhè liǎng zhǒng yán sè hěn pǐ pèi.
    These two colors match well.
  • 匹配。
    Zhè ge ruǎn jiàn yǔ xì tǒng bù pǐ pèi.
    This software is not compatible with the system.
  • 匹配。
    Tā men liǎ de xìng gé fēi cháng pǐ pèi.
    Their personalities are a perfect match.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

匹pǐmatch
配pèipair

匹配 joins 匹 'match' and 配 'pair', meaning things fit together as a pair.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
乙
乙yǐ匹
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 匹 is often explained as 石 (rock) with 乙 giving the sound, but its original picture is uncertain.

Open 匹 →

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

  • 酉酉yǒualcohol vessel
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

配 is formed by putting 酉, an alcohol vessel, next to 卩, a kneeling person. The reference gives these two parts, but not the reason they combine.

Open 配 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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