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命运 (mìng yùn) — fate, destiny

Definition

命运 (mìngyùn) is the abstract 'fate / destiny' — one's overall life course. It is more literary and grander in scope than 命 (a single life or a command) and unrelated to personal luck like 好运.

noun
fatedestiny
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 命运。
    Měi gè rén dōu yǒu zì jǐ de mìng yùn.
    Each person has their own fate.
  • 命运。
    mìng yùn Shì kě yǐ gǎi biàn de.
    Fate can be changed.
  • 命运。
    mìng yùn Shì yí gè yǒu qù de wèn tí.
    Fate is an interesting topic.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

命mìngfate
运yùnfortune

命 fate and 运 fortune together mean destiny.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng命mìng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

命 combines 口, a mouth, with 令, which gives the sound.

Open 命 →

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 運; 运 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòmotion
Sound part声符shēngfú
軍
軍jūn運yùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 運 combines 辵, meaning motion, with 軍 to give the sound; the simplified 运 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 运 →
Appears in
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