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为止 (wéi zhǐ) — (used after 到/直到 to mark a temporal cutoff) up until, as of, by

Definition

为止 marks an endpoint, almost always paired with 到/直到 ('from…up to'). 与 直到/至 不同的是，为止 本身不能独立表示 'until'，必须跟在时间词后作结。

verb
(used after 到/直到 to mark a temporal cutoff) up untilas ofby

Examples

  • 为止，。
    Dào jīn tiān wéi zhǐ, wǒ yǐ jīng xué le sān qiān gè hàn zì.
    As of today, I've learned three thousand Chinese characters.
  • 为止，。
    Zhí dào xià zhōu wǔ wéi zhǐ, nǐ bì xū jiāo bào gào.
    You must submit the report by next Friday.
  • 为止，。
    Dào huì yì jié shù wéi zhǐ, méi yǒu rén tí chū wèn tí.
    No one raised any questions until the meeting ended.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

为wèido
止zhǐstop

为 (do) + 止 (stop) gives to bring something to a stop, marking an end.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

止 was drawn as a footprint pointing up, with three toes and a sole, originally showing a foot.

Open 止 →
Appears in
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