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相应 (xiāng yìng) — to correspond, to be in agreement (with)

Definition

相应 means two things correspond or match each other in a coordinated, fitting way (often used in writing or formal speech). Stronger than 相关 (just 'related/relevant') and closer to 对应 ('corresponds to' a counterpart).

verb
to correspondto be in agreement (with)

Examples

  • 相应。
    Zhè ge fāng àn yǔ gōng sī de mù biāo xiāng yìng.
    This plan corresponds with the company's goals.
  • 相应。
    Tā de shuō fǎ yǔ shì shí bú xiāng yìng.
    His statement does not correspond with the facts.
  • 相应。
    Zhè liǎng gè shù jù diǎn xiāng yìng dé hěn hǎo.
    These two data points correspond very well.

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.

相xiāngmutual
应yìngrespond

相应 uses 相 (mutual) and 应 (respond) to describe parts agreeing or corresponding.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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