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相互 (xiāng hù) — mutually; each other (adverb used before a verb)

Definition

Formal/literary variant of 互相 ('mutually, each other'), typically used in writing. Unlike 彼此, it cannot stand alone as a pronoun.

adverb
mutuallyeach other (adverb used before a verb)

Examples

  • 相互。
    Tā men liǎng gè rén zhī jiān xiāng hù bú tài liǎo jiě.
    Those two don't know much about each other.
  • 相互，。
    Wǒ men xiāng hù xué xí, gòng tóng jìn bù.
    We learn from each other and make progress together.
  • 相互。
    Fū qī zhī jiān yīng gāi xiāng hù lǐ jiě.
    Couples should understand each other.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

相xiāngmutual
互hùmutual

「相」 and 「互」 both mean mutual, together expressing each other.

Characters in this word

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The form 互 is a tooth shape with a distinguishing mark added.

Open 互 →
Appears in
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