优先级 (yōu xiān jí) — priority; priority level

Definition

noun
prioritypriority level

Examples

  • 优先级
    Zhè ge rèn wu de yōu xiān jí hěn gāo.
    This task's priority is very high.
  • 优先级
    Qǐng àn yōu xiān jí pái xù.
    Please sort by priority.
  • 优先级
    Xì tǒng huì gēn jù yōu xiān jí zì dòng fēn pèi zī yuán.
    The system will automatically allocate resources based on priority.

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.

优先priority
yōusuperiorxiānfirst
联合Coordinate
level

优先 combines 优 (superior) and 先 (first) to mean priority, and 级 adds the idea of a level.

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 優; 优 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Written in full asrén
Sound part声符shēngfú
yōuyōu
Same sound today

The traditional form 優 combines 亻 (人, person) with 憂 for the sound; the simplified 优 is a later abbreviation.

Open 优 →

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

先 combines 止 (foot) and 儿 (person) to show someone moving forward.

Open 先 →

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 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Written in full asthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →

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