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承诺 (chéng nuò) — to promise, to undertake

Definition

承诺 is a formal, weighty 'to promise/undertake' — stronger and more serious than 答应 (casual 'agree/promise'). Use for commitments one is expected to honor.

verb
to promiseto undertake

Examples

  • 承诺。
    Tā xiàng wǒ chéng nuò yí dìng huì lái.
    He promised me that he would definitely come.
  • 承诺。
    Gōng sī chéng nuò tí gāo yuán gōng fú lì.
    The company promised to improve employee benefits.
  • 承诺，。
    Nǐ jì rán chéng nuò le, jiù yào zūn shǒu.
    Since you promised, you must keep it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

承chéngundertake
诺nuòpromise

承 and 诺 both point to undertaking and giving one's word, so together they mean to promise.

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 諾; 诺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword, speak
Sound part声符shēngfú
若
若ruò諾nuò
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 諾 pairs 言, meaning word or speak, with 若 as a sound part, for an affirmative answer. The simplified 诺 is a later shorthand.

Open 诺 →
Appears in
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