即位 (jí wèi) — to ascend the throne, to be enthroned; to take one's seat (formal)

Definition

Formal verb for a monarch formally ascending the throne, used in official/historical writing. 登基 is the more colloquial synonym for the same coronation event.

verb
to ascend the throneto be enthronedto take one's seat (formal)

Examples

  • 即位，。
    Xīn huáng dì jí wèi zhī hòu, lì jí xuān bù dà shè tiān xià.
    After the new emperor ascended the throne, he immediately announced a general amnesty.
  • ，。
    Zài dēng jī dà diǎn shàng, tā zhèng shì jí le wèi.
    At the coronation ceremony, he formally ascended the throne.
  • ，即位。
    Suǒ yǒu dà chén jiù zuò zhī hòu, guó wáng cái huǎn huǎn jí wèi.
    Only after all the ministers had taken their seats did the king slowly take his.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

即jíassume/approach
位wèiseat/throne

即 means to assume or approach, and 位 means seat or throne, together meaning ascend the throne.

Characters in this word

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

  • 皀皀jíancient round-mouthed food vessel
  • 卩卩jiéto kneel

即 pairs 皀 (an ancient round-mouthed food vessel) with 卩 (to kneel), showing someone kneeling near the vessel to eat, so it means to come near or approach.

Open 即 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì位wèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

位 combines 人 (man), related to people, with 立, which gives the sound. It was often simply written as 立.

Open 位 →

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