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接触 (jiē chù) — to touch (physically); to contact, to get in touch with (people, things, or new experiences)

Definition

Covers both physical touch and getting in touch with people or new experiences. 联系 is mainly about contacting people; 碰 is lighter physical contact or a chance meeting.

verb
to touch (physically)to contactto get in touch with (people, things, or new experiences)

Examples

  • 接触，。
    Qǐng bú yào jiē chù zhè xiē diàn xiàn, hěn wēi xiǎn.
    Please don't touch these wires — they're very dangerous.
  • 接触。
    Tā tōng guò gōng zuò jiē chù le hěn duō bù tóng de rén.
    He came into contact with many different people through his work.
  • 接触。
    Duō jiē chù dà zì rán duì shēn tǐ yǒu hǎo chù.
    Being in touch with nature more often is good for your health.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

接jiēconnect
触chùtouch

接 (connect) and 触 (touch) combine to mean contact.

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 觸; 触 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
角角jiǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ觸chù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 觸 uses 角 for the meaning and 蜀 for the sound; the simplified 触 is a later shorthand.

Open 触 →
Appears in
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