对策 (duì cè) — countermeasure, way to deal with a situation

Definition

对策 is a formal noun for a 'countermeasure' — a response strategy to a specific problem, often from a government or organization. Less concrete than 措施 (general measures/steps), and more earnest than 计策 (which implies cleverness or trickery).

noun

countermeasureway to deal with a situation

Measure word · 个

Examples

对策。
Wǒ men bì xū zhǎo dào jiě jué zhè ge wèn tí de duì cè.
We must find a countermeasure to solve this problem.
对策。
Zhèng fǔ chū tái le xīn de duì cè lái wěn dìng wù jià.
The government introduced new countermeasures to stabilize prices.
，对策。
Miàn duì tiǎo zhàn, tā tí chū le yí gè yǒu xiào de duì cè.
Facing the challenge, he proposed an effective countermeasure.

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.

对duìdeal with

策cèplan

「对」 points to dealing with a situation, while 「策」 is a plan, giving a countermeasure.

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 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

丵丵zhuótool for digging
土土tǔearth
又又yòuhand

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

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

竹朿策

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

朿

朿cì策cè

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

策 pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 朿 as a sound part.

Open 策 →

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