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威望 (wēi wàng) — prestige

Definition

威望 (wēiwàng) is prestige built on personal authority and widespread public respect. It is broader than 威信 (trust-based moral authority) and refers to societal standing more than 信誉 (commercial credibility).

noun
prestige

Examples

  • 威望。
    Tā zài xué shù jiè xiǎng yǒu hěn gāo de wēi wàng.
    He enjoys high prestige in the academic world.
  • 威望。
    Zhè wèi lǎo jiàng jūn de wēi wàng wú rén néng jí.
    This old general's prestige is unmatched.
  • 威望。
    Lǎo yí dài kē xué jiā wèi zǔ guó yíng dé le chóng gāo de wēi wàng.
    The older generation of scientists earned lofty prestige for the motherland.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

威wēiawe
望wàngrenown

The awe in 威 and the renown in 望 together give the sense of prestige.

Characters in this word

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

威 is made by combining 戌 and 女.

Open 威 →

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

  • 臣臣chéneye
  • 𡈼𡈼𡈼person standing on the ground

望 originally showed 臣 (eye) beside 𡈼 (person standing on the ground): a person standing up and looking off into the distance. Later 月 was added, and the 臣 part became 亡.

Open 望 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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