旧式 (jiù shì) — old style, old type

Definition

An adjective meaning 'old-style / old-fashioned' — describes things built or designed in an older style (旧式建筑 'old-style buildings'). Pairs with nouns; do not use it for people.

noun
old styleold type
Easily confused

Examples

  • 旧式。
    Zhè liàng chē shì jiù shì de.
    This car is an old model.
  • 旧式。
    Wǒ xǐ huan jiù shì jiā jù de fēng gé.
    I like the style of old-fashioned furniture.
  • 旧式。
    jiù shì Jiàn zhù zài chéng shì lǐ yuè lái yuè shǎo le.
    Old-style buildings are becoming rarer in the city.

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.

旧jiùold
式shìstyle/type

旧 means 'old' and 式 means 'style/type', together naming an old style.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 舊; 旧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雈雈huánowl
Sound part声符shēngfú
臼
臼jiù舊jiù
Same sound today

The traditional form of 旧 is 舊, which shows 雈, an owl, above 臼, which gives the sound.

Open 旧 →

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
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →

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