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得当 (dé dàng) — appropriate; suitable

Definition

得当 is a written, formal 'appropriate' — used in polished prose for wording, plans, or responses. 适宜 is the everyday spoken choice; 妥当 emphasizes a matter being fully and properly handled.

adjective
appropriatesuitable

Examples

  • 得当。
    Tā zhè cì de huí yìng hěn dé dàng.
    His response this time is very appropriate.
  • 得当。
    Tā de cuò cí fēi cháng dé dàng.
    His wording is very appropriate.
  • 得当。
    Zhè ge jì huà de shè jì hěn dé dàng.
    The design of this plan is very appropriate.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

得défit; suitable
当dāngproper; appropriate

得 (fit) and 当 (proper) together mean appropriate.

Characters in this word

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Good & Bad

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