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获悉 (huò xī) — to learn (of), to find out (news or information)

Definition

Formal/written 'to learn of / to be informed of' news or information. Unlike 了解 ('to understand' a situation), 获悉 is just about receiving news; closer in meaning to 得知 but more formal.

verb
to learn (of)to find out (news or information)

Examples

  • 获悉，。
    Jì zhě huò xī, shì gù zhōng méi yǒu rén yuán shāng wáng.
    The reporter learned that there were no casualties in the accident.
  • 获悉。
    Wǒ men gāng gāng huò xī le zhè ge lìng rén zhèn jīng de xiāo xi.
    We have just learned of this shocking news.
  • 获悉，。
    Cóng guān fāng gōng gào zhōng huò xī, huì yì jiāng tuī chí jǔ xíng.
    From the official announcement, it was learned that the meeting will be postponed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

获huòobtain
悉xīknow

获 'obtain' and 悉 'know' together mean getting to know news or information.

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 獲; 获 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
犭Written in full as犬quǎndog
Sound part声符shēngfú
蒦
蒦huò獲huò
Same sound today

The traditional form 獲 combines 犭 (dog) with 蒦, a sound part, to show catching animals with a dog. The simplified 获 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 获 →

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

  • 釆釆biànto distinguish
  • 心心xīnheart

悉 has 釆, meaning “to distinguish,” above 心, meaning “heart.”

Open 悉 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Thinking & Cognition

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