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协议 (xié yì) — agreement; pact; protocol

Definition

协议 is a general 'agreement' reached by parties, often signed but not always legally binding like 合同. Use 协商 for the verb 'to negotiate' and 条约 for treaties between nations.

agreementpactprotocol
Measure word · 项

Examples

  • 协议。
    Shuāng fāng qiān shǔ le yí xiàng xié yì.
    The two parties signed an agreement.
  • 协议。
    Zhè xiàng xié yì jù yǒu fǎ lǜ xiào lì.
    This agreement has legal effect.
  • 协议，。
    Àn zhào xié yì, shuāng fāng xū lǚ xíng gè zì yì wù.
    According to the agreement, both parties must fulfill their respective obligations.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

协xiécooperate
议yìdiscuss

协 (cooperate) and 议 (discuss) combine to mean a 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 議; 议 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yántalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
義
義yì議⁰yì
Same sound today

The traditional form 議 pairs 言 (talk) with 義 as a sound component; the simplified 议 is a later shorthand.

Open 议 →
Appears in
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