建构 (jiàn gòu) — to construct; to build; to establish (an abstract system, theory, or concept)

Definition

An academic verb meaning to construct or build an abstract system (theory, model, framework) rather than a physical thing. Colloquially, 建设 is more common for institutions; 建造 is for physical construction.

verb
to constructto buildto establish (an abstract system, theory, or concept)

Examples

  • 建构。
    Zhè mén xué kē de jī běn lǐ lùn zhèng zài chóng xīn jiàn gòu.
    The fundamental theories of this discipline are being reconstructed.
  • 建构。
    Wǒ men yīng gāi gòng tóng jiàn gòu yí gè hé píng de guó jì zhì xù.
    We should jointly build a peaceful international order.
  • 建构。
    Tā tōng guò duō nián de yán jiū jiàn gòu le yí tào wán zhěng de zhé xué tǐ xì.
    Through years of research, he constructed a complete philosophical system.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

建jiànbuild
构gòuconstruct

建 means to build, and 构 means to construct or frame; together they express building up a system or concept.

Characters in this word

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

  • 廴廴yǐn
  • 聿聿yù

The shape 建 shows 廴 and 聿, but it comes from an older drawing of a hand planting a pole into a base; the lower part of 聿 is not a brush.

Open 建 →

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
勾
勾gōu构gòu
Same sound today

构 combines 木 (wood) with 勾, which gives the sound.

Open 构 →

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