成团 (chéng tuán) — to form a group, to become a group; (of a substance) to clump, to form lumps

Definition

Verb meaning both people grouping up ('to form a group') and substances clumping together ('to form lumps'). Applies to social groupings and physical matter alike.

verb
to form a groupto become a group(of a substance) to clumpto form lumps
Easily confused

Examples

  • 成团。
    Zhè cì lǚ xíng xū yào shí gè rén cái néng chéng tuán.
    This trip needs ten people to form a group.
  • 成团。
    Miàn fěn shòu cháo hòu róng yì chéng tuán.
    Flour tends to clump after getting damp.
  • 成团。
    Tā men jǐ gè péng you chéng tuán qù cān jiā bǐ sài.
    A few friends of theirs formed a group to participate in the competition.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

成chéngform
团tuángroup

成 means form and 团 means a group.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

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 團; 团 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān團tuán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The form 團 combines 囗 as a meaning part with 專 as a sound part; the story is about 團, not about 团.

Open 团 →

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