尝试 (cháng shì) — to try, to attempt | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Attempt with focused effort toward a goal. More deliberate than the casual 试 ('try/test'); more neutral than 企图, which often implies something bad.

verb

to tryto attempt

Measure word · 次

尝试。
Wǒ cháng shì guò zhè ge xīn fāng fǎ.
I've tried this new method.
尝试。
Tā cháng shì le hěn duō cì cái chéng gōng.
He tried many times before succeeding.
尝试。
Qǐng cháng shì yí xià zhè ge ruǎn jiàn.
Please try this software.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

尝 and 试 both involve testing something, together mean to try or attempt.

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 嘗; 尝 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 尝 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (尝, 尝试) it is 嘗; in others (品尝) it is 嚐.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

旨旨zhǐtasty

Sound part声符shēngfú

尚

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 嘗 pairs 旨 (tasty) with 尚, which supplies the sound; the simplified 尝 is a later shorthand.

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 試; 试 is its simplified writing.

言式試

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

式

Same sound today

The traditional form 試 puts 言 beside 式, and 式 gives the sound; the simplified 试 is the form of this character.

Appears in