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志愿 (zhì yuàn) — (noun) aspiration; ambition; (college) preference; (verb) to volunteer (to do something)

Definition

志愿 covers two distinct senses: as a noun it means an aspiration or stated college preference (more concrete than the loftier 抱负); as a verb it means to volunteer for a service task (like 志愿者 but as the action).

noun
aspirationambition(college) preference
verb
to volunteer (to do something)

Examples

  • 志愿。
    Tā zhì yuàn zài shè qū zhōng xīn jiào yīng yǔ.
    He volunteers to teach English at the community center.
  • 志愿。
    Tián bào gāo kǎo zhì yuàn xū yào shèn zhòng kǎo lǜ.
    Filling in college entrance exam preferences requires careful consideration.
  • 志愿。
    Tā de zhì yuàn shì qù fēi zhōu zuò yī liáo yuán zhù.
    Her aspiration is to go to Africa for medical aid.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

志zhìaspiration
愿yuànwish

志 aspiration and 愿 wish give a hoped-for goal.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī志zhì
Same sound today

志 has 心, the heart, below and a simplified top from 之 for sound.

Open 志 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
原
原yuán愿yuàn
Same sound today

愿 places 心 (heart) below 原, which supplies the sound yuán; the 心 part marks the sense of heart or feeling.

Open 愿 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Will & Intention

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