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算作 (suàn zuō) — to regard as, to count as

Definition

算作 (suànzuò) means 'to count as / regard as,' with a more formal, written tone than plain 算. Often appears in 被 constructions, as in 他被人们算作一位英雄.

verb
to regard asto count as

Examples

  • 算作。
    Tā bǎ wǒ suàn zuō zuì hǎo de péng you.
    He regards me as his best friend.
  • 算作。
    Zhè bù néng suàn zuō yí cì shī bài.
    This cannot be counted as a failure.
  • 算作。
    Tā bèi rén men suàn zuō yí wèi yīng xióng.
    He is regarded as a hero by people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

算suàncount
作zuòact as

算 means count, and 作 means act as, so the word means count as.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The current form 算 has 竹 on top, 目 in the middle, and 廾 below; the 目 part may have originally drawn counting rods, often made of bamboo.

Open 算 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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