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试行 (shì xíng) — to try out, to test (on a trial basis)

Definition

试行 means to try something out on a trial basis before full adoption — typically a policy, system, or method. Unlike 实验 or 试验 (scientific experimentation) and 试用 (trying a product/person), 试行 focuses on piloting a plan or rule.

verb
to try outto test (on a trial basis)

Examples

  • 试行。
    Zhè xiàng xīn zhèng cè jiāng zài xià ge yuè shì xíng.
    This new policy will be tried out next month.
  • 试行。
    Wǒ men dǎ suàn xiān shì xíng sān gè yuè zài jué dìng.
    We plan to test it for three months before deciding.
  • 试行，。
    Zhè ge ruǎn jiàn hái zài shì xíng jiē duàn, kě néng huì yǒu wèn tí.
    This software is still in the trial phase; there may be issues.

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.

试shìtry
行xíngcarry out

试 means try and 行 means carry out; the sense is to carry out something on trial.

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 試; 试 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
式
式shì試shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 試 puts 言 beside 式, and 式 gives the sound; the simplified 试 is the form of this character.

Open 试 →

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

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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