受用 (shòu yòng) — to benefit from; to find enjoyable or useful (over time)

Definition

Literary/formal verb meaning to find something genuinely useful or to benefit from it over time — stronger and more written than everyday 有用. Often appears after 终身, 十分, or 很 to stress lasting benefit.

verb
to benefit fromto find enjoyable or useful (over time)

Examples

  • 受用。
    Lǎo shī de huà ràng wǒ zhōng shēn shòu yòng.
    The teacher's words have benefited me for life.
  • 受用。
    Zhè běn shū de zhī shi hěn shòu yòng.
    The knowledge in this book is very useful.
  • 受用。
    Tā xué dào de jì néng zài gōng zuò zhōng shí fēn shòu yòng.
    The skills he learned are very beneficial at work.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

受shòureceive
用yònguse or benefit

受 means receive, 用 means use or benefit; receiving benefit describes enjoying something.

Characters in this word

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

受 possibly combines 爪 and 又 as hands with 舟 as a boat, to show handing something over.

Open 受 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

用 was formed by adding a handle to an earlier form.

Open 用 →

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