从简 (cóng jiǎn) — to follow the principle of simplicity, to simplify (in formal or procedural contexts)

Definition

从简 means to deliberately keep something simple or strip it down — used for ceremonies, procedures, or content. Often appears as 一切从简 ('keep everything simple') or with 了 to mark a simplification.

verb
to follow the principle of simplicity, to simplify (in formal or procedural contexts)

Examples

  • 从简，。
    Zhè cì hūn lǐ yí qiè cóng jiǎn, méi yǒu dà bàn.
    This wedding kept everything simple — no big celebration.
  • ，从简。
    Wèi le jié yuē shí jiān, huì yì nèi róng yǐ jīng cóng jiǎn le.
    To save time, the meeting content has already been simplified.
  • 从简，。
    Tā men jué dìng sāng shì cóng jiǎn, bú pū zhāng làng fèi.
    They decided to keep the funeral simple, without extravagance.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

从cóngfollow
简jiǎnsimplicity

从 means follow and 简 means simplicity, so the word says to keep things simple.

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 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

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 簡; 简 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhú
Sound part声符shēngfú
間
閒xián簡jiǎn
Same sound today

In the traditional form 簡, 竹 (bamboo) is paired with 間 (also written 閒) as a sound part; the simplified 简 is a later shorthand.

Open 简 →

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