续 (xù) — to continue (a contract, subscription, or membership); to replenish; to refill (a drink or supply)
Definition
续 (xù) covers renewing or refilling: extending a contract, subscription, or membership, or topping up a drink. Unlike 继续 (going on with an action) or 持续 (lasting over time), 续 is about extending or replenishing an existing arrangement.
verb
to continue (a contract, subscription, or membership)to replenishto refill (a drink or supply)
Examples
- 续。Wǒ dǎ suàn zài xù yì nián hé tong.I plan to extend the contract for another year.
- ，续。Fú wù yuán, qǐng bāng wǒ xù yì bēi shuǐ.Waiter, please refill a glass of water for me.
- ，续？Nǐ de huì yuán kǎ dào qī le, xū yào xù ma?Your membership card has expired — do you need to renew it?
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 續; 续 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧶠
𧶠𧶠續xù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 續 pairs 糸 (rope) with 𧶠 as the sound part; the simplified 续 is a later abbreviation.
Appears in
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