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结合 (jié hé) — to combine, to integrate, to link

Definition

结合 is 'to combine / integrate' two things so they work as one — broader and more abstract than 连接 (physical links) or 联合 (separate parties uniting for a purpose).

verb
to combineto integrateto link
Measure word · 次

Examples

  • 结合。
    Bǎ lǐ lùn hé shí jiàn jié hé qǐ lái hěn zhòng yào.
    It is important to combine theory with practice.
  • 结合。
    Liǎng gè gōng sī jié hé hòu shí lì gèng qiáng le.
    After the two companies merged, their strength became greater.
  • 结合。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù xū yào jié hé duō fāng miàn de zī yuán.
    This project needs to integrate resources from multiple aspects.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

结jiébind
合héjoin

结 as bind and 合 as join together make combine.

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 結; 结 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
吉
吉jí結jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 結 pairs 糸 with 吉; 吉 gives the sound, and 糸 relates to the meaning. The simplified 结 is a later shorthand.

Open 结 →

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

合 shows 亼 and 口 arranged as two mouths speaking together.

Open 合 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Abstract Concepts5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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