适于 (shì yú) — to be suitable for, to suit

Definition

Written/formal verb meaning 'to be suitable for', usually introducing a purpose or audience. More literary than 适合; often appears before the object it serves (a plan, a use case).

verb
to be suitable forto suit

Examples

  • 适于。
    Zhè ge fāng àn shì yú wǒ men gōng sī de xū qiú.
    This plan suits our company's needs.
  • 适于。
    Zhè lǐ de tiān qì hěn shì yú zhòng zhí shuǐ guǒ.
    The weather here is very suitable for growing fruit.
  • 。
    Zhè zhǒng yào bú shì yú ér tóng fú yòng.
    This medicine is not suitable for children.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

适shìsuitable
于yúto/for

适 means suitable, and 于 points toward what it is suitable for.

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 適; 适 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
啻
啻chì適shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 適 pairs 辶 (walking) with a sound part; its inner part was originally 啻 and was stylized into 啇. The simplified 适 is a later variant.

Open 适 →

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

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

Open 于 →

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