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称道 (chēng dào) — to commend, to praise (formal, literary)

Definition

称道 (chēng) is a formal/literary verb meaning 'to commend, to praise', almost always used for someone's actions, character, or contributions rather than for direct speech. It often appears in the pattern 值得称道 / 值得称道之处 ('worthy of praise').

verb
to commendto praise (formal, literary)

Examples

  • 称道。
    Tā de gòng xiàn zhí dé chēng dào.
    His contributions are worthy of commendation.
  • 称道。
    Zhè wèi kē xué jiā shòu dào dà jiā de chēng dào.
    This scientist received everyone's praise.
  • 称道。
    Wǒ men yīng dāng chēng dào zhè zhǒng wú sī de jīng shén.
    We should commend this kind of selfless spirit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

称chēngpraise
道dàospeak

称 carries praise and 道 carries speech, yielding the sense of speaking well of someone.

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 稱; 称 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
爯
爯chēng稱chēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 稱 pairs 禾 (rice) with 爯, a part giving the sound; it is explained as measuring rice. The simplified 称 is a later shorthand.

Open 称 →

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
行行xíngstreet
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𩠐
首shǒu道dào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Open 道 →
Appears in
Communication & SpeechGood & Bad

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