旧日 (jiù rì) — former days, the old days | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary/poetic word for 'former days', used in writing and nostalgic prose rather than everyday speech. Pairs with 的 + abstract nouns like 时光, 事情.

noun

former daysthe old days

Examples

旧日，。
Huí yì qǐ nà xiē jiù rì, tā gǎn kǎi wàn qiān.
Recalling those old days, he was filled with emotion.
旧日。
jiù rì De shì qing yǐ jīng huí bú qù le.
The things of former days cannot return.
旧日。
jiù rì De shí guāng zǒng shì lìng rén huái niàn.
The days of old are always nostalgic.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

旧 old and 日 days together mean the former days.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 舊; 旧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雈雈huánowl

Sound part声符shēngfú

臼

臼jiù舊jiù

Same sound today

The traditional form of 旧 is 舊, which shows 雈, an owl, above 臼, which gives the sound.

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

日 originally drew the sun. A mark was added inside to tell it apart from similar square shapes.

Appears in

Time (Abstract)

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