示例 (shì lì) — example; illustrative instance

Definition

noun

exampleillustrative instance

Easily confused

示例，。
Zhè ge wén dàng lǐ yǒu hěn duō shì lì, kě yǐ bāng zhù lǐ jiě.
There are many examples in this document that can help with understanding.
示例，。
Tā tí gōng de shì lì fēi cháng yǒu yòng, wǒ men kě yǐ zài gōng zuò zhōng cān kǎo.
The examples he provided are very useful; we can refer to them in our work.
示例。
Zhè ge shì lì zhǎn shì le yí gè wán zhěng de liú chéng.
This example demonstrates a complete process.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

例lìexample

'示' means to show and '例' an example, together meaning a shown example or giving examples.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

示 began as a drawing of an altar. Extra strokes were added to keep it distinct from unrelated old forms.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻列例

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

列

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

例 is built from 亻, which relates to people, and 列, which gives the sound.