相间 (xiāng jiàn) — (adv.) in an alternating pattern, interleaved (note: standard usage is verb/predicate; see description)

Definition

相间 (xiāngjiàn) means 'interleaved' or 'alternating' — usually functions as a verb/predicate meaning two kinds of things alternate, not strictly an adverb. It follows the pattern N1 和/与 N2 相间, often with 地 as 相间地 + verb.

adverb
(adv.) in an alternating patterninterleaved (note: standard usage is verb/predicate; see description)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 相间。
    Zhè tiáo wéi jīn de hóng bái xiāng jiàn huā wén fēi cháng hǎo kàn.
    The red-and-white alternating pattern on this scarf is very beautiful.
  • 相间，。
    Guǒ yuán lǐ de xìng shù hé táo shù xiāng jiàn zhòng zhí, hěn shì zhěng qí.
    The apricot and peach trees in the orchard are planted alternately, very orderly.
  • 相间，。
    Sēn lín zhōng yīn pō yáng pō de zhí bèi xiāng jiàn fēn bù, xíng chéng dú tè de shēng tài.
    The vegetation on shaded and sunny slopes is distributed alternately, forming a unique ecology.

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xiāngmutually
间jiānseparate

mutually plus separate gives an alternating pattern.

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 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 间 →

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