应募 (yìng mù) — to respond to a call for recruits, to enlist (formal/literary)

Definition

A formal/literary verb meaning 'to respond to a recruitment call and enlist'. Marked by the classical character 应; used in writing or historical contexts rather than everyday speech.

verb
to respond to a call for recruits, to enlist (formal/literary)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 应募。
    Xǔ duō nián qīng rén yìng mù cān jūn.
    Many young people answered the call to enlist in the army.
  • 。
    Tā nián qīng shí céng yìng guò mù.
    He once responded to a recruitment call when he was young.
  • 应募。
    Zhè cì yìng mù de rén shù bǐ qù nián duō.
    The number of people who responded to this recruitment call is higher than last year.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

应yìngrespond
募mùrecruitment

应 is to respond, and 募 is the call for recruits.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →

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
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
莫
莫mò募mù
Same sound today

募 has 莫 on top and 力 (strength) below, with 莫 giving the sound and 力 showing strength.

Open 募 →

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