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协定 (xié dìng) — (noun) agreement; accord; pact; (verb) to reach an agreement; to agree on

Definition

协定 is a formal noun for a signed agreement, usually between states, organizations, or companies. Use 签订 to sign one, and 协议 for the broader/draft sense.

noun
agreementaccordpact
verb
to reach an agreementto agree on
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 协定。
    Liǎng jiā gōng sī qiān dìng le mào yì xié dìng.
    The two companies signed a trade agreement.
  • 协定。
    Zhè xiàng xié dìng duì liǎng guó dōu yǒu hǎo chù.
    This agreement benefits both countries.
  • 协定。
    Shuāng fāng xié dìng le xià ge yuè kāi huì.
    The two sides agreed to meet next month.

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.

协xiéjoint
定dìngsettle

协 conveys joint coordination and 定 conveys settling, so the sense is a jointly settled agreement.

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 協; 协 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 協 uses 劦, meaning 'to collaborate', plus 十 for sound; the simplified 协 is a later shorthand.

Open 协 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9International & Diplomacy

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