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用处 (yòng chù) — usefulness; use; utility

Definition

用处 is the everyday noun for 'use' or 'usefulness' of a thing. Contrast with 用途, which focuses on the specific application or function; 好处 emphasizes benefit or advantage rather than practical use.

noun
usefulnessuseutility
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 用处。
    Zhè ge shǒu jī yǒu hěn duō yòng chù.
    This phone has many uses.
  • 用处？
    Nǐ jué de xué lì shǐ yǒu shén me yòng chù?
    What use do you think studying history has?
  • 用处。
    Zhè bǎ dāo de zhǔ yào yòng chù shì qiē cài.
    The main use of this knife is cutting vegetables.

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.

用yònguse
处chùplace, point

用 gives the sense of use, and 处 points to the place or aspect of it, together meaning usefulness.

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.

用 was formed by adding a handle to an earlier form.

Open 用 →

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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