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法式 (Fǎ shì) — (noun) French style, French-style; (noun) legal method / rule (formal)

Definition

法式 (Fǎshì) is an attributive noun meaning 'French-style' — used like an adjective before a noun (e.g. 法式面包). The legal sense 'rule/method' is a separate, formal usage.

noun
French styleFrench-stylelegal method / rule (formal)
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 法式。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng de Fǎ shì miàn bāo fēi cháng hǎo chī.
    The French-style bread at this restaurant is very delicious.
  • 法式。
    Tā men zài huì shàng tǎo lùn le xīn de Fǎ shì.
    They discussed the new legal methods at the meeting.
  • 法式。
    Tā xǐ huan Fǎ shì fēng gé de jiā jù.
    She likes French-style furniture.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

法fǎlaw or French
式shìform or style

法, law or French, joins with 式, a form or style, to mean French style or legal form.

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 →

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
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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