有序 (yǒu xù) — orderly; in order | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Adjective for things arranged or proceeding in a logical order (a meeting, a life, a queue). Pairs with 整齐, which emphasizes neat appearance, while 有序 stresses the sequence of actions or events.

adjective

orderlyin order

Examples

有序。
Zhè cì huì yì ān pái dé hěn yǒu xù.
This meeting was organized in an orderly way.
有序。
yǒu xù De shēng huó xū yào jì huà hé jì lǜ.
An orderly life requires planning and discipline.
有序。
Qǐng dà jiā yǒu xù pái duì shàng chē.
Please line up in order to get on the bus.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

有yǒuhave

序xùorder

“有” (have) and “序” (order) combine to mean having order, hence orderly or in order.

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

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

又

又yòu有yǒu

Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

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Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

广予序

Meaning part形符xíngfú

广广guǎng

Sound part声符shēngfú

予

予yǔ序xù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

序 combines 广 and 予; 予 gives the sound, while 广 marks the meaning.

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Appears in