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顺路 (shùn lù) — (adverb) on the way; conveniently (while going somewhere); (adjective) (of a route or place) on the way; convenient to reach on a certain route

Definition

顺路 stresses that a place lies along the route you're already taking (this supermarket is not 顺路). Compare 顺便: that means doing an extra errand conveniently, with no focus on the route itself.

adverb
on the wayconveniently (while going somewhere)
adjective
(of a route or place) on the wayconvenient to reach on a certain route

Examples

  • 顺路。
    Wǒ huí qù shùn lù bāng nǐ ná kuài dì.
    I'll pick up your package on my way back.
  • 顺路。
    Tā měi tiān xià bān shùn lù jiē hái zi.
    He picks up the kids on his way home from work every day.
  • 顺路，。
    Zhè jiā chāo shì bú shùn lù, wǒ men qù nà jiā ba.
    This supermarket is not on the way; let's go to that one.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

顺shùnfollow
路lùroad

「顺」 and 「路」 suggest following the road, hence by the way.

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 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →

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
足足zú
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè路lù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Open 路 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Directions

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