屈就 (qū jiù) — (formal, polite) to deign to accept a position; to condescend to take a post

Definition

A highly formal, polite phrase used when inviting someone of higher status to accept a job or post — carries a humble, deferential tone, as if the offer is beneath them.

idiom
(formal, polite) to deign to accept a positionto condescend to take a post

Examples

  • 屈就。
    Wǒ men chéng yāo nín qū jiù běn gōng sī zǒng jīng lǐ yì zhí.
    We sincerely invite you to deign to accept the position of general manager of our company.
  • 屈就，。
    Rú méng qū jiù, bú shèng gǎn jī.
    If you would deign to accept the post, we would be extremely grateful.
  • ，屈就，。
    Xiān sheng cái xué yuān bó, ruò néng qū jiù, shí nǎi bì xiào zhī xìng.
    Sir, with your profound learning, if you would condescend to take this post, it would truly be the fortune of our humble school.

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.

屈qūhumbly
就jiùtake up

屈 contributes the sense of humbling oneself, while 就 contributes “take up/accept,” so the word means to deign to accept a post.

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
尾尾wěitail
Sound part声符shēngfú
出
出chū屈qū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

屈 was built from 出 for sound and 尾 for tail; the tail part later changed into the top of 屈.

Open 屈 →

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

An older form paired 享, a temple, with 京, a tower, showing sacrifice at a high place; in 就 the temple part was dropped and a right part for going upward was added.

Open 就 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.