复式 (fù shì) — (attributive) compound, double (as in 复式楼 'duplex', 复式记账 'double-entry bookkeeping'); (attributive) complex (in mathematics)

Definition

Attributive adjective meaning 'compound' or 'double' — used mainly in fixed compounds like 复式记账 (double-entry bookkeeping) and 复式楼 (duplex), and as 'complex' in math terms like 复数/复函数.

adjective
(attributive) compounddouble (as in 复式楼 'duplex', 复式记账 'double-entry bookkeeping')(attributive) complex (in mathematics)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 复式，，。
    Zhè tào fù shì lóu yǒu liǎng céng, lóu xià shì kè tīng, lóu shàng shì wò shì.
    This duplex apartment has two floors — the living room is downstairs and the bedrooms are upstairs.
  • 复式。
    Gōng sī cǎi yòng fù shì jì zhàng fǎ lái guǎn lǐ cái wù.
    The company uses double-entry bookkeeping to manage its finances.
  • 复式，。
    Zhè ge shù xué tí shè jí fù shì hán shù, xū yào zǐ xì fēn xī.
    This math problem involves a complex function and requires careful analysis.

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.

复fùdouble
式shìform

复 adds double or repeated, and 式 is a form or pattern, as in a duplex layout.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 復; 复 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 复 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (复习, 恢复) it is 復; in others (复印, 复杂) (答复, 反复) it is 複 or 覆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù復fù
Same sound today

The traditional form 復 combines 彳, a walking part, with 复, a sound part, to show walking back and forth.

Open 复 →

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
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →

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