未经 (wèi jīng) — (adverb) not having undergone; without (prior permission, approval, processing, etc.)

Definition

A formal written adverb meaning 'without (prior)' or 'not having been' — stresses that a required step (permission, processing, consent) was skipped. Pairs with verbs like 允许, 处理, 同意.

adverb
not having undergonewithout (prior permission, approval, processing, etc.)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 未经，。
    wèi jīng Yǔn xǔ, bù néng jìn rù.
    Without permission, you cannot enter.
  • 未经。
    wèi jīng Chǔ lǐ de shuǐ bù néng hē.
    Water that hasn't been treated is undrinkable.
  • 未经，。
    wèi jīng Tóng yì, tā ná zǒu le wǒ de shū.
    Without my consent, he took my book.

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.

未wèinot yet
经jīnggo through

未 says not yet, and 经 says go through, so it means not yet gone through.

Characters in this word

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

The shape 未 shows a tree with extra branches spreading above its trunk, like lush, overlapping limbs.

Open 未 →

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng經jīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →

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