征得 (zhēng dé) — to obtain (consent, permission, approval) through formal request

Definition

A formal verb meaning to obtain (consent, permission, approval) by requesting it — used in official or written contexts, not casual speech.

verb
to obtain (consent, permission, approval) through formal request
Easily confused

Examples

  • 征得。
    Shǐ yòng zhè zhāng zhào piàn bì xū zhēng dé zuò zhě de tóng yì.
    You must obtain the author's consent to use this photo.
  • 征得。
    Gōng sī zhēng dé le dāng dì zhèng fǔ de xǔ kě cái kāi gōng.
    The company obtained the local government's permission before starting construction.
  • 征得。
    Tā zhēng dé le suǒ yǒu rén de liàng jiě hòu cái lí kāi.
    He obtained everyone's understanding before leaving.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

征zhēngseek/request
得déobtain

“征” asks or seeks, “得” obtains, so to get something by asking.

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 徵; 征 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 征 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (特征, 象征) it is 徵; in others it is 征.

The story is about the traditional form 徵. It originally meant punishment, from a picture of a knife with tooth-shaped protrusions on its back; later forms kept that sense.

Open 征 →

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

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