就座 (jiù zuò) — to take a seat (formal)

Definition

就座 (jiù zuò) is a formal verb meaning 'to take one's seat,' used by hosts or in announcements. Contrast with the everyday 坐, which is the plain action of sitting down.

verb

to take a seat (formal)

Examples

就座，。
Qǐng gè wèi jiù zuò, huì yì mǎ shàng kāi shǐ.
Please take your seats; the meeting will start soon.
就座，。
Kè rén jiù zuò hòu, fú wù yuán kāi shǐ shàng cài.
After the guests took their seats, the waiter started serving dishes.
，就座。
Tā zǒu jìn lǐ táng, zhǎo dào zì jǐ de wèi zhì jiù zuò.
He entered the auditorium, found his seat, and sat down.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

就jiùgo to; take

座zuòseat

就 means to take or go to, and 座 means seat, so the word expresses taking one's seat.

Characters in this word

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

享享xiǎng
京京jīng

An older form paired 享, a temple, with 京, a tower, showing sacrifice at a high place; in 就 the temple part was dropped and a right part for going upward was added.

Open 就 →

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

广坐座

Meaning part形符xíngfú

广广guǎnghouse on cliff

Sound part声符shēngfú

坐

坐zuò座zuò

Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Open 座 →

Appears in