构成 (gòu chéng) — (verb) to constitute, to form, to make up; (nou… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

As a verb, 构成 means parts 'make up / form' a whole — close to 组成 but more written, often passive ('由…构成'). As a noun, 构成 = 'composition / structure' (similar to 结构).

verb

to constituteto formto make up

noun

compositionstructure

Examples

构成。
Zhè tái jī qì yóu jǐ gè bù fen gòu chéng.
This machine is composed of several parts.
构成。
Bù tóng de wén huà gòu chéng le yǒu qù de shēng huó.
Different cultures make up an interesting life.
构成。
Zhè piān wén zhāng de gòu chéng hěn qīng chǔ.
The structure of this article is very clear.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

构gòuconstruct

构 (construct) and 成 (form) combine to mean construct into a whole.

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.

木勾构

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

勾

勾gōu构gòu

Same sound today

构 combines 木 (wood) with 勾, which gives the sound.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

丁

丁dīng成chéng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 HSK 2.0 Level 5 Abstract Concepts

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