座次 (zuò cì) — seating arrangement (especially by rank or protocol)

Definition

Refers specifically to the planned order or arrangement of seats by rank, status, or protocol (at banquets, meetings, ceremonies) — not just any seating. More formal and protocol-oriented than the general word 座位 ('a seat / seating').

noun
seating arrangement (especially by rank or protocol)

Examples

  • 座次，。
    Yàn huì de zuò cì yào tí qián ān pái hǎo, bù néng chū cuò.
    The seating arrangement for the banquet must be arranged in advance and must not have mistakes.
  • 座次。
    Qǐng àn zhào zuò cì shàng de míng zì zhǎo dào nǐ de zuò wèi.
    Please find your seat according to the name on the seating plan.
  • ，座次。
    Zài zhè ge huì yì shàng, měi gè rén de zuò cì dōu dài biǎo tā men de dì wèi.
    At this meeting, each person's seating arrangement represents their status.

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.

座zuòseat
次cìorder

座 refers to a seat, and 次 means order; together they describe the order of seats.

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
广广guǎnghouse on cliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
坐
坐zuò座zuò
Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Open 座 →

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

The old form of 次 shows a person exhaling, with the marks above the figure representing breath.

Open 次 →

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