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特约 (tè yuē) — to engage by special arrangement, to contract specially; to specially invite (as a guest or contributor)

Definition

特约 is a formal verb meaning to specially engage or invite someone (a reporter, advisor, guest) through a particular arrangement. The two-word form 特约记者 / 特约嘉宾 is more common than the verb alone.

verb
to engage by special arrangementto contract speciallyto specially invite (as a guest or contributor)

Examples

  • 特约。
    Tā bèi bào shè tè yuē wèi tè yuē jì zhě.
    He was specially engaged by the newspaper as a special correspondent.
  • 特约。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī tè yuē le yí wèi fǎ lǜ gù wèn.
    This company specially contracted a legal advisor.
  • 特约。
    Diàn shì tái tè yuē le sān wèi míng xīng dān rèn píng wěi.
    The TV station specially invited three stars to serve as judges.

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.

特tèspecial
约yuēcontract

特 adds a special sense to 约, so the meaning is a special contract or invitation.

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
牛牛niúox
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì特tè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Open 特 →

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 約; 约 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo約yuē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 約 uses 糸, a rope, for its meaning and 勺 for its sound; the simplified 约 is a later shorthand.

Open 约 →
Appears in
Business & Commerce

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