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召见 (zhào jiàn) — to summon (a subordinate) for an official meeting; to call in (an envoy) for a diplomatic interview

Definition

A formal/official verb for a superior summoning a subordinate — used in political, diplomatic, and military contexts, not everyday life.

verb
to summon (a subordinate) for an official meetingto call in (an envoy) for a diplomatic interview

Examples

  • 召见。
    Dà shǐ bèi zǒng tǒng zhào jiàn dào bàn gōng shì tán huà.
    The ambassador was summoned by the president to the office for a talk.
  • 召见。
    Wài jiāo bù zhào jiàn le gāi guó zhù huá dà shǐ jìn xíng jiāo shè.
    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the country's ambassador to China for representations.
  • 召见。
    Jiāng jūn jǐn jí zhào jiàn qián xiàn zhǐ huī guān liǎo jiě zhàn kuàng.
    The general urgently summoned the frontline commander to understand the battle situation.

Origin

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
刀
刀dāo召zhào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape of 召 pairs 口 (mouth), for calling out, with 刀 (knife), which supplies the sound; it originally meant to call out or serve wine.

Open 召 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →
Appears in
International & DiplomacyGovernment & Politics

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