现成 (xiàn chéng) — ready-made; readily available | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

现成 emphasizes something is already prepared and usable right now (a ready-made meal, a ready-made answer). 现有 focuses on what already exists or is currently available in a situation, without the 'prepared' implication.

adjective

ready-madereadily available

Examples

，现成。
Tā bù xiǎng zuò fàn, jiù qù chāo shì mǎi xiàn chéng de fàn cài.
He doesn't want to cook, so he went to the supermarket to buy ready-made meals.
现成，。
Zhè ge fāng àn bú shì xiàn chéng de, xū yào dà jiā yì qǐ tǎo lùn.
This plan is not ready-made; everyone needs to discuss it together.
现成，。
Bié zhǐ wàng yǒu xiàn chéng de jié jìng, chéng gōng dōu xū yào fù chū nǔ lì.
Don't expect a ready-made shortcut; success requires effort.

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.

现xiànpresent

现 (present) and 成 (made) together mean already made and ready to use.

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 現; 现 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

玉玉yùjade

Sound part声符shēngfú

見

見jiàn現

Same sound today

The traditional form 現 pairs 玉 (jade) with 見 as a sound part; the simplified 现 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

丁dīng成chéng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6

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