敬请 (jìng qǐng) — (formal, deferential) to respectfully request; please (in formal invitations and notices)

Definition

敬请 is a formal, deferential 'please' used almost exclusively in written invitations and notices. Much more formal than the everyday 请, which fits spoken requests.

verb
(formal, deferential) to respectfully requestplease (in formal invitations and notices)

Examples

  • 敬请。
    jìng qǐng Guāng lín zhǐ dǎo.
    We respectfully invite you to visit and provide guidance.
  • 敬请。
    jìng qǐng Gè wèi lái bīn jiù zuò.
    Please, distinguished guests, take your seats.
  • 敬请。
    jìng qǐng Guān zhù wǒ men de zuì xīn dòng tài.
    Please follow our latest updates.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

敬jìngrespectful
请qǐngrequest

敬请 joins 敬 'respectful' and 请 'request', giving a deferential invitation.

Characters in this word

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

  • 茍茍jìkneeling person or sitting dog
  • 攴攴pūhand holding a stick, authority

敬 is possibly formed from 茍, a kneeling person or sitting dog, and 攴, a hand holding a stick.

Open 敬 →

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 請; 请 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng請qǐng
Same sound today

In the traditional form 請, 言 shows it relates to speaking, and 青 gives the sound; the simplified 请 is a later shorter form.

Open 请 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Greetings & Politeness

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