有求必应 (yǒu qiú bì yìng) — (idiom) to grant whatever is asked; to be very accommodating

Definition

Chengyu meaning 'grant every request' — praises a person or service that always says yes when asked. Highlights reliable responsiveness, not just generosity.

idiom
to grant whatever is askedto be very accommodating

Examples

  • 有求必应，，。
    Tā duì péng you yǒu qiú bì yìng, zhǐ yào yǒu rén kāi kǒu, tā yí dìng bāng máng.
    He is very accommodating to his friends — whenever someone asks, he always helps.
  • 有求必应，。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de shòu hòu fú wù yǒu qiú bì yìng, kè hù fēi cháng mǎn yì.
    This company's after-sales service grants whatever is asked; customers are very satisfied.
  • ，有求必应。
    Chuán shuō zhè zuò miào hěn líng, xìn tú men yǒu qiú bì yìng.
    Legend has it that this temple is very efficacious — believers get whatever they pray for.

Origin

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

求 began as a drawing of a centipede.

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A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 必 comes from the handle on the right side of a weapon, with two extra strokes added to its sides.

Open 必 →

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →

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