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成立 (chéng lì) — to establish, to set up; to be tenable, to hold water (of theories, arguments)

Definition

Used for organizations, companies, and departments coming into existence, and for theories/arguments holding up. 设立 and 建立 are more about actively creating something; 成立 often stresses the result.

verb
to establishto set upto be tenableto hold water (of theories, arguments)

Examples

  • 成立。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī shì chéng lì de.
    This company was established last year.
  • 。
    Nǐ de lǐ lùn bù chéng lì.
    Your theory is not tenable.
  • 成立。
    Wǒ men xū yào chéng lì yí gè xīn de bù mén.
    We need to set up a new department.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

成chéngestablish
立lìset up

Both parts mean to set up or come into being, so together they indicate that something has been established or is tenable.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

立 pictures a person standing on the ground.

Open 立 →
Appears in
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