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定制 (dìng zhì) — to customize; to have something made to order

Definition

定制 means 'have something custom-made to your spec' — usable for both products and services. Closer to 定做 (a single commissioned item); 特制 is for goods specially produced at the maker's end, not by customer request.

verb
to customizeto have something made to order

Examples

  • 定制。
    Wǒ xiǎng dìng zhì yí tào xī zhuāng.
    I want to have a suit custom-made.
  • 定制。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī tí gōng dìng zhì fú wù.
    This company offers customization services.
  • 定制。
    Wǒ men kě yǐ dìng zhì yí gè shēng rì dàn gāo.
    We can order a custom birthday cake.

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.

定dìngfixed/specified
制zhìmake

定 'fixed/specified' and 制 'make' combine to mean made according to a fixed specification.

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →

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

The form 制 pairs 朱 (tree) with 刀 (knife), showing the act of cutting a tree.

Open 制 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Business & Commerce

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