赏赐 (shǎng cì) — to bestow (a reward); to grant (as a favor, often from a superior)

Definition

verb
to bestow (a reward)to grant (as a favor, often from a superior)

Examples

  • 赏赐。
    Huáng dì shǎng cì gěi dà chén xǔ duō jīn yín cái bǎo.
    The emperor bestowed a great deal of gold, silver, and treasure upon the minister.
  • 著，赏赐。
    Tā yīn wèi zhàn gōng zhuó zhù, dé dào le jūn zhǔ de shǎng cì.
    Because of his outstanding military achievements, he received a reward from the monarch.
  • 赏赐。
    Zhè xiē lǐ wù shì zhǎng bèi duì wǎn bèi de shǎng cì.
    These gifts are a bestowal from the elders to the younger generation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

赏shǎngbestow/reward
赐cìbestow/grant

赏 and 赐 both mean to bestow, so together they describe granting a reward.

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 賞; 赏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèicowry
Sound part声符shēngfú
商
商shāng賞shǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 賞 pairs 商 for sound with 貝, a cowry shell; the simplified 赏 is a shorthand.

Open 赏 →

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 賜; 赐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell, money
Sound part声符shēngfú
易
易yì賜cì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 賜 pairs 貝 (shell, money) with 易 as a sound part; the simplified 赐 is a shorthand.

Open 赐 →

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