存有 (cún yǒu) — to exist (in a place or system); to have/hold (a feeling, opinion, or record)

Definition

存有 (cún yǒu) is a formal verb meaning 'to have' or 'to hold' an abstract thing — doubts, hope, suspicion, records — usually after 对/在 and before an abstract noun. It is more literary than the everyday 有.

verb
to exist (in a place or system)to have/hold (a feeling, opinion, or record)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 存有。
    Tā duì zhè ge jì huà cún yǒu yí lǜ.
    He has doubts about this plan.
  • 存有。
    Dàng àn lǐ cún yǒu tā de gè rén xìn xī.
    His personal information is stored in the archives.
  • 存有。
    Wǒ men duì tā réng cún yǒu xī wàng.
    We still hold hope for him.

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.

存cúnexist
有yǒuhave

存 points to existing or keeping, and 有 points to having, so the word means something is present or held.

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
子子zǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
才
才cái存cún
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

存 pairs 子 with 才, which was used for the sound.

Open 存 →

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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