纵 (zòng) — (bound form) vertical, longitudinal; from north to south; (bound form) to release, to let go; to indulge, to pamper; (bound form) even if, even though (in 纵使, 虽然…纵)
Definition
纵 (zòng) is a bound form used in compounds: 纵贯 means running north-to-south (vs 横 héng for east-west), while 纵容 is 'to indulge/pamper' and 纵使 is a written 'even if'.
bound form
verticallongitudinalfrom north to southto releaseto let goto indulgeto pampereven ifeven though (in 纵使, 虽然…纵)
Examples
- 纵。Zhè tiáo tiě lù zòng guàn nán běi.This railway runs from north to south.
- 。Bú yào zòng róng hái zi de huài xí guàn.Don't indulge your child's bad habits.
- ，。zòng Shǐ tiān qì bù hǎo, wǒ hái shì yào qù.Even if the weather is bad, I still want to go.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 縱; 纵 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
從
從cóng縱zòng
Same sound today
The traditional form 縱 pairs the 糸 part with 從 as a sound part; the simplified 纵 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.
Appears in
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