承继 (chéng jì) — to adopt a male relative's son as heir (to continue the family line); to inherit (property, rights, legacy)

Definition

Literary/formal verb for 'to inherit.' Use 承继 for property, legacy, or adopting an heir to continue the family line; everyday speech usually prefers 继承.

verb
to adopt a male relative's son as heir (to continue the family line)to inherit (property, rights, legacy)
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，承继。
    Tā méi yǒu ér zi, jiù chéng jì le dì di de hái zi.
    He had no son, so he adopted his younger brother's child as his heir.
  • 承继。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī chéng jì le zǔ fù de chǎn yè.
    This company inherited the grandfather's estate.
  • 承继，。
    chéng jì Chuán tǒng de tóng shí, yě yào yǒng yú chuàng xīn.
    While inheriting tradition, one must also dare to innovate.

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.

承chéngcontinue/receive
继jìcontinue/succeed

Both 承 and 继 mean to take over or continue, and together they mean to inherit.

Characters in this word

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

  • 卩卩jiékneeling person
  • 廾廾gǒngboth hands

承 combines 卩, a kneeling person, and 廾, both hands, to show holding or carrying.

Open 承 →

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 繼; 继 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
㡭
㡭㡭繼jì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繼 pairs 糸 (rope) with 㡭 as a sound part; an older form may have shown four silk strands. The simplified 继 is only a later shorthand.

Open 继 →

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