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使节 (shǐ jié) — diplomatic envoy; emissary

Definition

使节 (shǐ jié) is a formal, written term for a high-ranking 'diplomatic envoy' sent by a government. More literary and elevated than everyday 外交官, which refers to professional diplomats in general.

noun
diplomatic envoyemissary
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 使节。
    Zhè wèi shǐ jié dài biǎo běn guó cān jiā le guó jì huì yì.
    This envoy represented his country at the international conference.
  • 使节。
    Liǎng guó shǐ jié jìn xíng le yǒu hǎo duì huà.
    The envoys from the two countries held a friendly dialogue.
  • 使节。
    Lì shǐ shàng xǔ duō shǐ jié wèi hé píng zuò chū le gòng xiàn.
    Many envoys in history contributed to peace.

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.

使shǐenvoy
节jiécredential

使 is an envoy and 节 is the credential carried by one; the envoy's credential names the envoy.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
吏
吏lì使shǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

使 pairs 亻 (person) with 吏, which pictures a hand holding something like a flag, giving the sense of a representative or ambassador.

Open 使 →

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 節; 节 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺮Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
即
即jí節jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 節 pairs ⺮ (bamboo) with 即, which gives the sound; the bamboo part points to a node of bamboo. The simplified 节 is a later abbreviation.

Open 节 →
Appears in
International & Diplomacy

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