假若 (jiǎ ruò) — if, supposing, in case (formal, hypothetical) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

假若 (jiǎruò) is a written, formal 'if/supposing' — more literary than the everyday 如果. Used in hypothetical and counterfactual clauses.

conjunction

ifsupposingin case (formal, hypothetical)

Examples

假若，。
jiǎ ruò Nǐ míng tiān bù lái, qǐng tí qián tōng zhī wǒ.
If you don't come tomorrow, please notify me in advance.
假若，。
jiǎ ruò Méi yǒu shuǐ, rén lèi jiù wú fǎ shēng cún.
If there were no water, humans would be unable to survive.
假若，。
jiǎ ruò Dāng chū tīng le tā de jiàn yì, jié guǒ kě néng huì bù tóng.
If I had taken his advice back then, the outcome might have been different.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

假 and 若 both mean if, forming a formal conjunction.

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.

亻叚假

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

叚

叚jiǎ假jiǎ

Same sound today

假 pairs 亻 (person) with 叚, which gives the sound jiǎ.

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

若 began as a picture of a person combing their hair, associated with obedience.

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