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所作所为 (suǒ zuò suǒ wéi) — one's conduct and deeds, what one has done

Definition

A formal set phrase meaning 'one's conduct and deeds' — emphasizes moral or ethical judgment of a person's overall behavior, not a single action. Often used in writing or criticism to question or hold someone accountable.

phrase
one's conduct and deedswhat one has done

Examples

  • 所作所为。
    Tā de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi ràng rén fēi cháng shī wàng.
    His conduct has been very disappointing.
  • 所作所为。
    Měi gè rén dōu yào duì zì jǐ de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi fù zé.
    Everyone must be responsible for their own deeds.
  • 所作所为？
    Nǐ nán dào bù jué dé zì jǐ de suǒ zuò suǒ wéi yǒu wèn tí ma?
    Don't you think there's something wrong with what you've done?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

所作what one does
所suǒwhat作zuòdo
主谓Subject + predicate
所为what one does
所suǒwhat为wèido
主谓Subject + predicate

所作 and 所为 both refer to what one does, joined to mean conduct and deeds.

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
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →

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
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Idioms & Set Phrases5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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