顺 (shùn) — (verb) to follow, to obey; (preposition) along (a path, direction); (adjective) smooth, favorable, going well
Definition
顺 (shùn) covers three uses: as an adjective it means 'going smoothly / favorable' (e.g. 工作不顺), as a verb 'to follow/obey' (usually 别人的意思), and as a preposition 'along' (沿 is more formal for the prepositional sense).
verb
to followto obey
preposition
along (a path, direction)
adjective
smoothfavorablegoing well
Examples
- 顺。Qǐng shùn zhè tiáo lù yì zhí zǒu.Please go straight along this road.
- 顺。Zuì jìn gōng zuò bú tài shùn.Work hasn't been going very smoothly recently.
- 顺。Tā zǒng ài shùn bié rén de yì si.He always likes to follow other people's opinions.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.