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为伍 (wéi wǔ) — (formal) to associate with, to keep company with (often in a negative or disapproving context)

Definition

为伍 (wéi wǔ) is a formal verb meaning to associate or keep company with someone, almost always in a negative or disapproving context (e.g. 不屑与…为伍). Not for neutral everyday use.

verb
(formal) to associate withto keep company with (often in a negative or disapproving context)

Examples

  • 。
    Wǒ cóng wèi yǔ zhè zhǒng rén wéi guò wǔ.
    I have never associated with people like that.
  • ，为伍。
    Tā zì gān duò luò, jìng rán yǔ zhè xiē zuì fàn wéi wǔ.
    He was willing to degrade himself and actually associated with these criminals.
  • 为伍。
    Wǒ bú yuàn yǔ jiàn lì wàng yì zhě wéi wǔ.
    I am unwilling to associate with those who forget honor for profit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

为wèibe/make
伍wǔcompany

为 as be and 伍 as company combine to mean join company with someone.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →

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
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
五
五wǔ伍wǔ
Same sound today

伍 is written with 亻, a person, and 五, which gives the sound.

Open 伍 →
Appears in
Friends & Social

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