就教 (jiù jiāo) — to seek instruction (from someone); to consult (a senior or expert)

Definition

就教 (jiù jiāo) is a formal written verb meaning to seek guidance from a senior or expert — usually paired with 于 + person. Use it for scholarly or professional consultation, not casual questions.

verb
to seek instruction (from someone)to consult (a senior or expert)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 就教。
    Wǒ zhuān chéng qù běi jīng jiù jiāo yú wáng jiào shòu.
    I made a special trip to Beijing to seek Professor Wang's instruction.
  • 。
    Tā wèi le zhè ge xiàng mù yǐ jīng jiù guò sān cì jiào le.
    He has already consulted three times for this project.
  • ，就教。
    Ruò yǒu yí wèn, kě suí shí jiù jiāo yú yǒu jīng yàn de tóng shì.
    If you have questions, you can always seek advice from experienced colleagues.

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; seek
教jiàoinstruction

就 expresses going to or seeking, and 教 is instruction; together they mean to seek advice.

Characters in this word

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

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
子子zǐchild
攵Written in full as攴pūteaching cane; stick that represents authority
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo教jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

教 uses 爻 for its sound and puts 子 (child) with 攵 (攴), a teaching cane, to show teaching a child.

Open 教 →

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