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严实 (yán shí) — (of a closure) tight, firmly shut; (of a hiding place) secure, well-concealed

Definition

严实 describes how firmly something is shut or hidden — tight, secure, with no gaps. It goes with verbs like 关、封、藏, usually after 得 in a descriptive complement.

adjective
(of a closure) tightfirmly shut(of a hiding place) securewell-concealed

Examples

  • 严实。
    Mén guān dé hěn yán shí.
    The door is shut very tight.
  • 严实。
    Tā bǎ qián cáng dé hěn yán shí.
    He hid the money very securely.
  • 严实，。
    Zhè ge xiāng zi fēng dé hěn yán shí, dǎ bù kāi.
    This box is sealed so tightly it won't open.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

严yántight; strict
实shísolid; firm

严 and 实 both convey tightness and firmness; together they mean close, secure, or well hidden.

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 嚴; 严 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
喦喦yántalkative
Sound part声符shēngfú
敢
敢gǎn嚴yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嚴 combines 喦 (talkative) and 敢 (daring); the simplified 严 is a later shorthand.

Open 严 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →
Appears in
Texture & Quality

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