横竖 (héng shu) — anyway; in any case; regardless

Definition

A colloquial adverb meaning 'anyway / in any case' — implies the outcome doesn't depend on the condition just mentioned, so the speaker is brushing it aside.

adverb
anywayin any caseregardless

Examples

  • 横竖，。
    Wǒ héng shu yào qù, nǐ bú yòng zài quàn wǒ le.
    I'm going anyway – you don't need to talk me out of it.
  • 横竖，。
    héng shu Dōu yí yàng, nǐ zì jǐ jué dìng ba.
    It's all the same anyway – you decide for yourself.
  • 横竖，。
    Tā héng shu bù kěn shuō, zài wèn yě méi yòng.
    He won't say it anyway; asking again is useless.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

横hénghorizontal
竖shùvertical

横 gives horizontal and 竖 gives vertical, covering all directions, so it means anyway.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 橫; 横 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùwood
Sound part声符shēngfú
黃
黃huáng橫héng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 橫 has 木, meaning wood, beside 黃, which supplies the sound; the simplified 横 is a later abbreviation.

Open 横 →

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 豎; 竖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
臤臤qiān
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu豎shù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 豎 possibly pairs 臤 with 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 竖 is a shorthand.

Open 竖 →

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