联想 (lián xiǎng) — (verb) to associate (in the mind), to connect i…

Definition

联想 is a mental/cognitive verb: 'to associate' ideas or memories in your mind (联想起), not social 'to associate with people' like 交往 or 相处.

verb

to associate (in the mind)to connect ideas or memoriesto predict words / auto-complete (in input method editing)

，联想。
Kàn dào zhè zhāng lǎo zhào piàn, wǒ bù jīn lián xiǎng qǐ guò qù.
Seeing this old photo, I can't help associating it with the past.
联想。
Zhè ge shū rù fǎ néng lián xiǎng chū hěn duō cí yǔ.
This input method can predict many words and phrases.
联想？
Nǐ kàn dào zhè ge néng lián xiǎng dào shén me?
What can you associate when you see this?

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

联想 joins 联 (connect) and 想 (think) to mean linking ideas in the mind.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 聯; 联 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 聯 combines 耳 (ear) and 絲 (silk); 联 is a simplified form of 聯.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

相心想

Meaning part形符xíngfú

心心xīnheart, mind

Sound part声符shēngfú

相

Same sound today

想 has 心 (heart, mind) below 相 (to look at); the shape shows the mind looking at or considering something, and 相 also gives the sound.

Appears in