往复 (wǎng fù) — back and forth; to and fro (formal); reciprocally (in technical/abstract contexts)

Definition

A formal adverb meaning 'back and forth' or 'reciprocally' — used in technical contexts (reciprocating motion) and in writing about mutual exchange of views, less natural in everyday speech.

adverb
back and forthto and fro (formal)reciprocally (in technical/abstract contexts)

Examples

  • 往复。
    Tā men wǎng fù tǎo lùn le yí gè xiǎo shí.
    They discussed back and forth for an hour.
  • 往复。
    Zhè tái jī qì de wǎng fù yùn dòng hěn píng wěn.
    The reciprocating motion of this machine is very smooth.
  • 往复。
    Shuāng fāng wǎng fù jiāo huàn le yì jiàn.
    The two sides exchanged opinions back and forth.

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.

往wǎnggo forth
复fùreturn

往 gives going forth, and 复 gives returning, together meaning back and forth.

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
止止zhǐfoot
Sound part声符shēngfú
王
王wáng往wǎng
Same sound today

The form that became 往 paired 止, a foot, with 王 for the sound; a stepping part was later added, and the right side changed.

Open 往 →

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 復; 复 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 复 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (复习, 恢复) it is 復; in others (复印, 复杂) (答复, 反复) it is 複 or 覆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù復fù
Same sound today

The traditional form 復 combines 彳, a walking part, with 复, a sound part, to show walking back and forth.

Open 复 →

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