相让 (xiāng ràng) — to mutually yield; to show modest deference

Definition

A reciprocal verb meaning 'to yield to one another' in polite contexts — each side gives way. Pair with 让 alone for one-directional yielding, or 客气 for the social register of the exchange.

verb
to mutually yieldto show modest deference

Examples

  • ，。
    Shuāng fāng hù bù xiāng ràng, jìng zhēng hěn jī liè.
    Neither side gave way, so the competition was intense.
  • ，相让。
    Tā men hěn kè qi, bǐ cǐ xiāng ràng le bàn tiān.
    They were very polite, deferring to each other for a long time.
  • ，相让，。
    Fēn pèi rèn wu shí, dà jiā zhǔ dòng xiāng ràng, bǎ hǎo jī huì ràng gěi le xīn rén.
    When assigning tasks, everyone took the initiative to yield, giving the good opportunities to the new colleagues.

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
让ràngyield

相 means mutually and 让 means to yield, together expressing modestly giving way.

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 讓; 让 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
襄
襄xiāng讓ràng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 讓 combines 言, showing speech, with 襄, giving the sound; the evidence links it to criticizing or reproaching. The simplified 让 is a later shorthand.

Open 让 →

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