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着想 (zhuó xiǎng) — to consider (others' needs or interests)

Definition

着想 is a set phrase meaning 'to have consideration for' someone — always used for others' needs or interests, never your own. Less neutral than 考虑 (general 'to think over'); 设想 covers both 'envisage' and 'consider for' and pairs with 为…设想.

verb
to consider (others' needs or interests)

Examples

  • 着想。
    Tā zǒng shì wèi bié rén zhuó xiǎng.
    He always considers others.
  • 着想。
    Fù mǔ yīng gāi duō wèi hái zi zhuó xiǎng.
    Parents should think more about their children's needs.
  • 着想。
    Nǐ zuò jué dìng shí yào wèi dà jiā zhuó xiǎng.
    When making decisions, you should consider everyone's interests.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

着zheattach/place
想xiǎngthought

The 着 sense 'attach/place' and 想 'thought' combine: place thought on someone or something.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →

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
心心xīnheart, mind
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng想xiǎng
Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

Open 想 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Thinking & Cognition5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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