后进 (hòu jìn) — (attributive) backward, less advanced, lagging behind

Definition

Used as a written/attributive label meaning 'lagging behind, less advanced' (regions, students, fields). Not used for people in everyday speech.

adjective
(attributive) backwardless advancedlagging behind
Easily confused

Examples

  • 后进。
    Wǒ men yīng gāi bāng zhù hòu jìn dì qū de fā zhǎn.
    We should help the development of backward regions.
  • 后进。
    Nà xiē hòu jìn xué shēng xū yào gèng duō de fǔ dǎo.
    Those backward students need more tutoring.
  • 后进。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù zài hòu jìn lǐng yù qǔ dé le tū pò.
    This project achieved a breakthrough in a backward field.

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hòubehind
进jìnadvance

后 says behind and 进 says advance, giving the sense of advancing late or lagging behind.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 進; 进 is its simplified writing.

  • 辵辵chuòwalk
  • 隹隹zhuīshort-tail bird

The traditional form 進 pairs 辵 (walk) with 隹 (short-tail bird): the picture showed moving forward because a bird can only walk forward, not backward. The simplified 进 is a later shorthand.

Open 进 →

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