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约定俗成 (yuē dìng sú chéng) — established by popular usage; customary; conventional

Definition

A chengyu meaning something becomes accepted simply because people use it, not because it's formally written down. Unlike 传统 or 常规, it emphasizes the 'agreed-by-custom' origin of a norm.

phrase
established by popular usagecustomaryconventional

Examples

  • 约定俗成，。
    Zhè zhǒng chēng hu suī rán shì yuē dìng sú chéng de, dàn dà jiā dōu jiē shòu.
    Although this form of address is established by popular usage, everyone accepts it.
  • 约定俗成，。
    Hěn duō gōng sī zhì dù dōu shì yuē dìng sú chéng de, méi yǒu xiě zài zhǐ shàng.
    Many company rules are established by popular usage; they aren't written down.
  • 约定俗成。
    yuē dìng sú chéng De lǐ yí guī fàn yǒu shí bǐ fǎ lǜ gèng yǒu xiào.
    Conventional etiquette norms are sometimes more effective than laws.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

约定agreed and fixed
约yuēagree定dìngset
联合Coordinate
俗成formed by custom
俗súcustom成chéngform
主谓Subject + predicate

约定 means agreed and fixed, while 俗成 means custom forms it; together they describe conventions established by common usage.

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 約; 约 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo約yuē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 約 uses 糸, a rope, for its meaning and 勺 for its sound; the simplified 约 is a later shorthand.

Open 约 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →

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
谷
谷gǔ俗sú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

俗 is built from 亻, a person, and 谷, which gives the sound; it refers to customs of people.

Open 俗 →

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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