提携 (tí xié) — to guide and support (especially in career or development); to mentor, to give a leg up

Definition

提携 (tíxié) is a formal verb meaning to mentor or help a junior person advance in their career. It is more literary and elevated than everyday 帮助 — it implies active, personal guidance.

verb
to guide and support (especially in career or development)to mentorto give a leg up

Examples

  • 提携。
    Zhè wèi lǎo jiào shòu yì shēng tí xié le xǔ duō nián qīng xué zhě.
    This old professor mentored many young scholars throughout his life.
  • 提携，。
    Duō kuī le tā de tí xié, wǒ cái zhǎo dào zhè me hǎo de gōng zuò.
    Thanks to his guidance and support, I found such a good job.
  • 提携。
    Gōng sī hěn zhòng shì duì nián qīng yuán gōng de tí xié.
    The company places great importance on mentoring young employees.

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.

提tílift
携xiécarry

提 and 携 combine as lifting and carrying, suggesting guidance and support.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
是
是shì提tí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

提 shows 扌 (hand) beside 是, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 提 →

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
⺘Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
雟
雟guī携xié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

携 pairs ⺘, a hand, with 雟, a sound part, to show carrying something hanging from the hand.

Open 携 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.