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备用 (bèi yòng) — to set aside for future use; to have in reserve; spare, backup

Definition

备用 marks something kept aside as a spare/backup (a spare key, reserve battery). Unlike 备份, it is not a computing term and refers to physical or general resources kept on hand.

verb
to set aside for future useto have in reservesparebackup

Examples

  • ，备用。
    Wàng le dài yào shi, hái hǎo yǒu bèi yòng yào shi.
    I forgot to bring the key, luckily there's a spare key.
  • 备用。
    Zhè ge shǒu jī yǒu yí kuài bèi yòng diàn chí.
    This phone has a spare battery.
  • 备用。
    Gōng sī yǒu yì bǐ bèi yòng zī jīn yìng duì wēi jī.
    The company has a backup fund to deal with crises.

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.

备bèiprepare; reserve
用yònguse

The first part means prepare or keep ready, and the second part means use, together describing something held for use.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 備; 备 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 備 shows a person carrying a quiver, matching the meaning 'ready; prepared'; the simplified 备 is a later abbreviation.

Open 备 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

用 was formed by adding a handle to an earlier form.

Open 用 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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