沿袭 (yán xí) — to follow (a tradition, practice, or system); to continue as before

Definition

A formal verb meaning to carry on an established practice or tradition without change. Pairs with 传统、习俗、做法 to mean 'continue as inherited,' stronger and more written than the looser 继续.

verb
to follow (a tradition, practice, or system)to continue as before
Easily confused

Examples

  • 沿袭。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī yì zhí yán xí jiù de guǎn lǐ mó shì.
    This company has always followed the old management model.
  • 沿袭。
    Tā men de hūn lǐ yán xí le chuán tǒng xí sú.
    Their wedding followed traditional customs.
  • 沿袭。
    Xiàn dài jiàn zhù yǒu shí yě huì yán xí gǔ dài de shè jì fēng gé.
    Modern architecture sometimes also follows ancient design styles.

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.

沿yánfollow along
袭xíinherit

沿 means to follow along and 袭 means to inherit, together describing continuing an old practice.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㕣
㕣㕣沿yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

沿 pairs 氵 (water) with 㕣, which shows how it was pronounced; it originally meant the edge of a river, which led to the sense of moving along something.

Open 沿 →

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 襲; 袭 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīcloth
Sound part声符shēngfú
龖
龖dá襲xí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 襲, 衣 shows cloth and 龖 gives the sound; the simplified 袭 is a later shorthand, so its visible parts are not the historical components.

Open 袭 →

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