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法则 (fǎ zé) — law; rule; principle

Definition

法则 refers to a fundamental law or principle, often of nature or society. More general and abstract than 法律 (statute) or 规则 (concrete rule), and broader than 定律 (a specific scientific law).

noun
lawruleprinciple
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 法则。
    Zì rán fǎ zé yǒu qí nèi zài de guī lǜ.
    The laws of nature have their internal principles.
  • 法则。
    Shè huì fǎ zé xū yào shì yìng shí dài de biàn huà.
    Social rules need to adapt to changes of the times.
  • 法则。
    Wǒ men yīng dāng zūn shǒu jī běn de xíng wéi fǎ zé.
    We should follow the basic code of conduct.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

法fǎlaw
则zérule

法 and 则 both denote rules, giving the meaning law or principle.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 則; 则 is its simplified writing.

  • 鼎鼎dǐngding, a bronze cauldron for cooking or sacrificial rituals
  • 刂刀dāoknife

The traditional form 則 pairs 鼎, a bronze cauldron, with 刂, a knife, possibly showing carving on a bronze vessel; the simplified 则 is a later shorthand.

Open 则 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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