后继有人 (hòu jì yǒu rén) — (set phrase) there are successors to carry on the cause; the legacy will continue

Definition

Set phrase meaning 'there are successors to carry on the work' — used to reassure that a tradition, skill, or field is in good hands for the future. Almost always spoken or written in praise; rare in casual chat.

idiom
(set phrase) there are successors to carry on the causethe legacy will continue

Examples

  • 后继有人。
    Zhè xiàng jì yì hòu jì yǒu rén.
    This skill has successors to carry it on.
  • 后继有人，。
    Zhè ge lǐng yù hòu jì yǒu rén, ràng rén xīn wèi.
    This field has successors, which is reassuring.
  • 后继有人，。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī hòu jì yǒu rén, bú yòng dān xīn wèi lái.
    This company has successors, so there's no need to worry about the future.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

后继succession
后hòulater继jìcontinue
偏正Modifier + head
有人there are people
有yǒuthere are人rénpeople
动宾Verb + object

后继 means 'succession', and 有人 means 'there are people', so there are people for the succession.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 後; 后 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 後 showed 夊 (foot) bound by 幺 (thread), a foot caught by a rope and lagging behind; the simplified 后 is a later abbreviation, and 后 also has a different meaning.

Open 后 →

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 繼; 继 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
㡭
㡭㡭繼jì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繼 pairs 糸 (rope) with 㡭 as a sound part; an older form may have shown four silk strands. The simplified 继 is only a later shorthand.

Open 继 →

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 人 shows a side view of a standing person, with an arm and a leg.

Open 人 →

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