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理顺 (lǐ shùn) — to put in good order; to rationalize, to sort out

Definition

理顺 (lǐ shùn) means to straighten out and put something tangled or disordered into smooth working order — usually abstract systems (rules, relationships, processes). It implies fixing confusion, not just arranging items.

verb
to put in good orderto rationalizeto sort out

Examples

  • 理顺。
    Gōng sī xū yào lǐ shùn nèi bù de guǎn lǐ zhì dù.
    The company needs to rationalize its internal management system.
  • 理顺。
    Tā huā le hěn duō shí jiān lǐ shùn zì jǐ de sī lù.
    He spent a lot of time organizing his thoughts.
  • 理顺。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài lǐ shùn shì chǎng zhì xù.
    The government is straightening out market order.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

理lǐsort
顺shùnsmooth

理, sort, is completed by 顺, smooth, giving put in good order.

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ理lǐ
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →

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 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →
Appears in
Order & ArrangementThinking & Cognition

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