右侧 (yòu cè) — right side | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

右侧 (yòu cè) means 'right side' as a more formal or written alternative to the everyday 右边.

noun

right side

Examples

右侧。
Qǐng bǎ chē tíng dào yòu cè.
Please park the car over to the right side.
右侧。
Tā zuò zài wǒ de yòu cè.
He sits on my right side.
右侧。
Zǒu yòu cè de lóu tī néng gèng kuài dào dá.
Taking the stairs on the right side gets you there faster.

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.

右 gives the direction and 侧 the side, so it means right side.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

又

又yòu右yòu

Same sound today

右 is made from 又, which supplied the sound, with 口 added as a distinguishing mark.

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 側; 侧 is its simplified writing.

亻則側

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

則

則zé側cè

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 側 has 亻, a person, and uses 則 to show its sound. The simplified 侧 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

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