属 (shǔ) — to belong to, to be affiliated with; to be born in the year of (a zodiac animal); to be (a type), to constitute
Definition
属 (shǔ) is a formal/short-form verb used in set phrases and taxonomy ('属虎' zodiac, '属文学类' classification). In most everyday 'belong to' contexts, learners should use 属于 instead.
verb
to belong toto be affiliated withto be born in the year of (a zodiac animal)to be (a type)to constitute
Examples
- 属，？Wǒ shǔ hǔ, nǐ ne?I was born in the year of the tiger, and you?
- 属。Zhè běn shū shǔ wén xué lèi.This book belongs to the literature category.
- 属。Zhè ge dì qū shǔ běi jīng shì guǎn xiá.This region is under the jurisdiction of Beijing municipality.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 屬; 属 is its simplified writing.
The traditional form 屬 pairs 㞑 (tail) with 蜀 as a sound part; the simplified 属 is a shorthand.
Appears in
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