后移 (hòu yí) — (noun) backward shift; the act of moving something backward; (noun) postponement; deferment to a later time

Definition

A formal/literary noun meaning 'backward shift' or 'postponement' — used in technical, corporate, or linguistic contexts (e.g. tense backshifting), not for everyday rescheduling.

noun
backward shiftthe act of moving something backwardpostponementdeferment to a later time

Examples

  • 后移。
    Gōng sī de hòu yí jì huà yǐ jīng pī zhǔn le.
    The company's backshifting plan has been approved.
  • 后移。
    Zhè cì huì yì rì qī yǒu hòu yí.
    This meeting's date has been postponed.
  • 后移。
    Yǔ yán xué zhōng shí tài de hòu yí shì gè zhòng yào gài niàn.
    Tense backshifting in linguistics is an important concept.

Origin

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.

后hòubackward
移yímove

后移 is 移, movement, with 后, backward or later.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

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
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
多
多duō移
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

移 pairs 禾, a grain plant, with 多, which gives the sound.

Open 移 →

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