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纽带 (niǔ dài) — a link, bond, or tie (connecting people, relationships, or entities)

Definition

纽带 (niǔdài) means 'bond' or 'link' between people, groups, or countries — abstract, not physical. Unlike 挂钩 (often a policy/economic link), 纽带 stresses emotional or relational ties like trust or friendship.

noun
a linkbondor tie (connecting people, relationships, or entities)
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 纽带。
    Yǔ yán shì gōu tōng de niǔ dài.
    Language is a bond of communication.
  • 纽带。
    Gòng tóng de ài hào chéng wéi tā men zhī jiān de niǔ dài.
    Shared hobbies became a bond between them.
  • 纽带。
    Jīng jì hé zuò shì liǎng guó guān xì de niǔ dài.
    Economic cooperation is a link in the bilateral relationship.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

纽niǔknot
带dàiband

纽 suggests a knot or tie and 带 is a band, giving a linking bond.

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 紐; 纽 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
丑
丑chǒu紐niǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 紐 has 糸 (silk) for tying and 丑 for sound; 丑 also points to a claw or hand, fitting a handle. The simplified 纽 is a later shorthand.

Open 纽 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 帶; 带 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 帶 was drawn as a woven belt; the simplified 带 is a later shorthand.

Open 带 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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