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干系 (gān xì) — involvement (in a matter); connection; implication

Definition

A formal noun meaning one's 'involvement' or 'connection' to a matter — almost always used in contexts of responsibility or liability, as in 脱不了干系 ('can't escape being implicated').

noun
involvement (in a matter)connectionimplication

Examples

  • 干系。
    Zhè jiàn shì gēn tā yǒu gān xì.
    This matter has involvement with him.
  • 干系。
    Tā zài zhè qǐ shì gù zhōng tuō bù liǎo gān xì.
    He cannot escape involvement in this accident.
  • 干系。
    Jǐng fāng zhèng zài diào chá tā yǔ àn jiàn de gān xì.
    The police are investigating his connection to the case.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

干gāninvolve
系xìconnect

干系 puts together 干 (to involve) and 系 (to connect), giving the idea of involvement or connection.

Characters in this word

The simplified 干 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (饼干, 干杯) it is 乾; in others (干, 干活儿) (干扰) it is 幹 or 干.

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 乾; 干 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
乙乙yǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
倝
倝gàn乾gān
Same sound today
Open 干 →

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

系 is made by putting together 手 (hand) and 糸 (silk).

Open 系 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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