造句 (zào jù) — to make a sentence, to form a sentence (especia…

Definition

A language-learning term: to make or form a sentence, usually as a classroom exercise using a given word or pattern.

verb

to make a sentenceto form a sentence (especially as a language learning exercise)

“”造句。
Qǐng yòng "suī rán" zào jù.
Please make a sentence using "although".
。
Tā zào le yí gè hěn cháng de jù.
He made a very long sentence.
。
Xué shēng yòng xīn xué de cí zào le jǐ gè jù.
The students made several sentences using newly learned words.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

句jùsentence

造 means make, and 句 means sentence, so it is making a sentence.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辵辵chuòto walk

Sound part声符shēngfú

屮

屮chè造zào

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Its origin is unclear, but early forms of 造 include 辵 (to walk) and 口, with 屮 as a sound part, and mean go or arrive.

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú

丩丩jiūto entangle

Sound part声符shēngfú

口

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

句 pairs 丩, originally two entangled ropes and giving a sense of entangling, with 口 as the sound part.