TongTong
Sign in

有所 (yǒu suǒ) — (adv.) to some extent, somewhat (used before verbs to moderate the degree)

Definition

有所 (yǒu suǒ) is a formal, written adverb meaning 'to some extent' or 'somewhat' — it softens the verb that follows (改善, 改变, 不同). It is more literary than just saying a little; use it in writing or reports rather than everyday speech.

adverb
(adv.) to some extentsomewhat (used before verbs to moderate the degree)

Examples

  • ，有所。
    Jīng guò gǎi gé, gōng sī de yè jì yǒu suǒ gǎi shàn.
    After the reforms, the company's performance improved to some extent.
  • 有所。
    Tā duì zhè jiàn shì de tài dù yǒu suǒ gǎi biàn.
    His attitude toward this matter changed somewhat.
  • 。
    Zhè liǎng zhǒng fāng fǎ de xiào guǒ yǒu suǒ bù tóng.
    The effects of these two methods are somewhat different.

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
所suǒsomething

“有” have plus “所” something gives having something, hence somewhat.

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.

Open 有 →

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
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →
Appears in
2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.