海选 (hǎi xuǎn) — unrestricted nomination election (originally in village committees); open audition or selection process open to all comers

Definition

An 'open selection' — anyone can apply, nominate, or compete (village elections, auditions, hiring). Lit. 'sea selection', evoking a vast pool of candidates.

noun
unrestricted nomination election (originally in village committees)open audition or selection process open to all comers

Examples

  • 海选，。
    Zhè cì de hǎi xuǎn cǎi yòng le quán xīn de guī zé, měi gè cūn mín dōu kě yǐ tí míng hòu xuǎn rén.
    This open nomination election adopted new rules; every villager can nominate candidates.
  • 海选。
    Nà ge zōng yì jié mù yào tōng guò hǎi xuǎn lái xuǎn bá cān sài xuǎn shǒu.
    That variety show will use open auditions to select contestants.
  • ，海选。
    Wèi le gōng píng qǐ jiàn, gōng sī jué dìng yòng hǎi xuǎn de fāng shì zhāo pìn zǒng jīng lǐ.
    For fairness, the company decided to hire the general manager through an open selection process.

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.

海hǎisea
选xuǎnchoose

海 (sea-like breadth) describes the 选 (selection).

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
每
每měi海hǎi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

海 pairs 氵 (water) with 每, which gives the sound. The 氵 side shows it is about water.

Open 海 →

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 選; 选 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
止止zhǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
巽
巽xùn選xuǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 選 combines 止 with 巽, which gives the sound xùn; its sense of choosing is explained as rejecting or sending someone back. Simplified 选 is a shorthand.

Open 选 →

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