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也许 (yě xǔ) — perhaps; maybe

Definition

也许 (yěxǔ) means 'perhaps / maybe' — a neutral adverb placed before the verb or clause. Weaker and more tentative than 恐怕 ('I'm afraid…'), and more common in speech than the formal 或许.

adverb
perhapsmaybe

Examples

  • 也许。
    yě xǔ Míng tiān huì xià yǔ.
    Perhaps it will rain tomorrow.
  • 也许。
    yě xǔ Tā men hái bù zhī dào.
    Maybe they still don't know.
  • 也许。
    Nǐ yě xǔ kě yǐ shì shì.
    You could perhaps give it a try.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

也yětentative
许xǔpossible

也 adds a tentative nuance, and 许 expresses possibility, giving perhaps.

Characters in this word

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

也 originally showed a child crying with an open mouth, with the arms later dropped and the parts fused.

Open 也 →

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 許; 许 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánspeech; words
Sound part声符shēngfú
午
午wǔ許xǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 許 pairs 言, meaning speech or words, with 午 for its sound; 许 is a simplified form.

Open 许 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 41000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsAttitudes & Opinions2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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