契约 (qì yuē) — contract, agreement (formal, legally binding)

Definition

契约 is a formal, legally binding contract — more solemn than 协议 (agreement, can be informal) and stronger than 合同 (commercial contract). Often used for solemn, written, and bilateral obligations.

noun
contractagreement (formal, legally binding)
Measure word · 份

Examples

  • 契约。
    Shuāng fāng bì xū zūn shǒu qì yuē zhōng de měi yì tiáo kuǎn.
    Both parties must comply with every clause in the contract.
  • 契约。
    Zhè fèn qì yuē de yǒu xiào qī shì sān nián.
    This agreement is valid for three years.
  • 契约。
    Tā yīn wèi wéi fǎn qì yuē ér bèi gào shàng le fǎ tíng.
    He was taken to court for violating the contract.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

契qìcontract
约yuēagreement

契 and 约 both name a binding agreement.

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
大大dàperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
㓞
㓞㓞契qì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

契 pairs 大 (person) with 㓞, which means 'to engrave,' showing a person making an agreement or carving something with a knife.

Open 契 →

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 約; 约 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo約yuē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 約 uses 糸, a rope, for its meaning and 勺 for its sound; the simplified 约 is a later shorthand.

Open 约 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Business & CommerceLaw & Justice

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