合适 (hé shì) — suitable; appropriate

Definition

合适 (héshì) is the everyday word for 'suitable' — used for concrete things like clothes, prices, or times. Sibling 适当 is more formal/written; 贴切 is reserved for words, translations, or descriptions.

adjective
suitableappropriate

Examples

  • 合适。
    Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yì shuāng hé shì de xié.
    I want to buy a pair of suitable shoes.
  • 合适。
    Zhè ge jià gé hěn hé shì.
    This price is very reasonable.
  • 合适。
    Míng tiān shàng wǔ de shí jiān zuì hé shì.
    Tomorrow morning's time is most suitable.

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.

合héfitting
适shìsuitable

合 and 适 both mean fitting or suitable, so together they mean appropriate.

Characters in this word

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

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

Open 合 →

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 適; 适 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
啻
啻chì適shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 適 pairs 辶 (walking) with a sound part; its inner part was originally 啻 and was stylized into 啇. The simplified 适 is a later variant.

Open 适 →

Grammar

Appears in
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