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秩序 (zhì xù) — order (orderly state, social order); order (sequence, as in 按秩序)

Definition

秩序 means 'order' as a societal or organized state — traffic, public, social order. 顺序 and 次序 refer to a sequence or arrangement of items, not social order.

noun
order (orderly state, social order)order (sequence, as in 按秩序)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 秩序。
    Jǐng chá zài nǔ lì wéi chí gōng gòng zhì xù.
    The police are working hard to maintain public order.
  • 秩序，。
    Qǐng àn zhì xù pái duì, bú yào chā duì.
    Please queue in order; don't cut in line.
  • 秩序。
    Zhè ge guó jiā de shè huì zhì xù fēi cháng wěn dìng.
    The social order of this country is very stable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

秩zhìorder
序xùorder

秩 and 序 both mean order, so together they denote an orderly state or sequence.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
失
失shī秩zhì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

秩 pairs 禾 (grain) with 失 giving the sound. The grain part is linked to rice plants piled up in order, giving the idea of sequence.

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
广广guǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
予
予yǔ序xù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

序 combines 广 and 予; 予 gives the sound, while 广 marks the meaning.

Open 序 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 5Order & Arrangement

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