对齐 (duì qí) — to align, to line up (text, objects, positions)

Definition

Verb meaning 'to align / line up' — arrange items (text, objects, or positions) so they match along an edge or axis. In typography it pairs with 左/右/居中 (left-, right-, center-align); it's a more formal/literal term than the casual 整理.

verb
to alignto line up (text, objects, positions)

Examples

  • 对齐。
    Qǐng bǎ zhè xiē wén zì zuǒ duì qí.
    Please left-align this text.
  • 对齐。
    Shè jì shí yào zhù yì tú piàn de duì qí.
    When designing, pay attention to the alignment of images.
  • 对齐，。
    Zhè liǎng háng méi yǒu duì qí, kàn qǐ lái bù zhěng qí.
    These two lines are not aligned; they look messy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

对duìline up
齐qíeven

对 (line up) plus 齐 (even) means to align evenly.

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 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 齊; 齐 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 齊 pictures multiple fruits or thorns neatly arranged; the simplified 齐 is a later shorthand.

Open 齐 →

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