有请 (yǒu qǐng) — to invite in (formal, polite, used by a host to welcome a guest)

Definition

A formal phrase a host uses to politely invite a guest to come in or to speak. It's a set expression used in ceremonies and official occasions, not in everyday conversation.

idiom
to invite in (formal, polite, used by a host to welcome a guest)

Examples

  • ，有请。
    Kāi mù yí shì shàng, zhǔ chí rén yǒu qǐng gè wèi jiā bīn rù chǎng.
    At the opening ceremony, the host invited the guests to enter.
  • 有请，。
    yǒu qǐng, Qǐng zuò.
    Please come in and have a seat.
  • 有请。
    Xiàn zài yǒu qǐng wáng xiào zhǎng jiǎng huà.
    Now let's invite Principal Wang to speak.

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
请qǐngrequest

有 have + 请 request: to have a request, i.e. invite someone in.

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.

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
Greetings & Politeness

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