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略微 (lüè wēi) — slightly, a little bit

Definition

A more written/literate 'slightly' — stronger and more formal than the everyday 稍微, and similar to 微. Use it in measured, composed sentences rather than casual speech.

adverb
slightlya little bit

Examples

  • 略微。
    Qǐng nǐ lüè wēi děng yí xià.
    Please wait a moment.
  • 略微。
    Tā de tài dù lüè wēi yǒu suǒ gǎi biàn.
    His attitude has changed slightly.
  • 略微。
    Zhè ge wèn tí lüè wēi fù zá le yì xiē.
    This problem is a bit more complicated.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

略lüèslightly
微wēismall

略 and 微 both convey a small degree, so together they mean slightly.

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
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
各
各gè略lüè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

略 combines 田 (field) with 各 for sound; the described idea is walking around a field to outline it.

Open 略 →

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

The old form showed 𡵂 (a variant of 美, a person with long hair) and 攵 (a hand with a tool) splitting or combing hairs, hence minute; 微 later added 彳 to emphasize action.

Open 微 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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