归顺 (guī shùn) — to submit (to a new ruler/authority), to pledge allegiance (to a new side)

Definition

归顺 means to formally submit and pledge allegiance to a new ruler or side, usually after losing power — a political, one-way act of surrender and loyalty, stronger than simply 服从 ('obey').

verb
to submit (to a new ruler/authority)to pledge allegiance (to a new side)

Examples

  • 归顺。
    Hěn duō shì bīng xuǎn zé le guī shùn xīn zhèng quán.
    Many soldiers chose to pledge allegiance to the new regime.
  • 归顺。
    Tā zài zhàn bài hòu guī shùn le duì fāng.
    After the defeat, he submitted to the other side.
  • 归顺。
    Pàn jūn shǒu lǐng zuì zhōng jué dìng guī shùn cháo tíng.
    The rebel leader finally decided to submit to the imperial court.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

归guīreturn
顺shùnobey

归 (return) and 顺 (obey) together describe coming over to a new authority and obeying it.

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 歸; 归 is its simplified writing.

  • 𠂤𠂤𠂤ancient form of {{zh-l|*師|troops}}
  • 帚帚zhǒubroom; sweep

The traditional form 歸 combines 𠂤 (troops) and 帚 (broom; sweep) to show sweeping away an enemy and returning; the simplified 归 is a later abbreviation.

Open 归 →

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 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →

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