接纳 (jiē nà) — to admit (to membership), to accept (into a group)

Definition

接纳 is to accept a person or group into your circle (members, refugees, a new colleague) — warmer and more personal than 接受 ('accept' an offer or fact). For exams use 录取; for absorbing ideas or funds use 吸纳.

verb
to admit (to membership)to accept (into a group)

Examples

  • 接纳。
    Zhè ge guó jiā jiē nà le dà liàng nàn mín.
    This country admitted a large number of refugees.
  • 接纳。
    Tā hěn kuài jiù jiē nà le xīn tóng shì.
    She quickly accepted the new colleague.
  • 接纳。
    Gōng sī jué dìng jiē nà tā de cí zhí qǐng qiú.
    The company decided to accept his resignation request.

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.

接jiēreceive
纳nàadmit

Both 接, receive, and 纳, admit, point to taking someone into 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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
妾
妾qiè接jiē
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 扌 shows a hand, matching the sense of receiving something in the hand, while 妾 gives the character its sound.

Open 接 →

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 納; 纳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk, thin thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
内
内nèi納nà
Same sound today

The traditional form 納 has 糸 (silk, thin thread) and 内, which gives the sound; the simplified 纳 is a shorthand.

Open 纳 →

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