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相称 (xiāng chèn) — to match, to be proportionate, to be suitable

Definition

相称 describes two things fitting each other well in status, quality, or appearance — used mainly with 与 / 和 to link the pair. Written/formal in tone; common patterns are 互相∼ or 与…相称.

verb
to matchto be proportionateto be suitable

Examples

  • 相称。
    Tā de zhí wèi yǔ néng lì bìng bù xiāng chèn.
    His position and ability do not match.
  • 相称。
    Zhè jiàn lǐ fú de yán sè yǔ tā qì zhì shí fēn xiāng chèn.
    The color of this dress perfectly matches her temperament.
  • 相称。
    Tā men tí chū de tiáo jiàn yǔ shì chǎng shí jì bù xiāng chèn.
    The conditions they proposed do not match the market reality.

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.

相xiāngmutual
称chēngfit

相 (mutual) and 称 (fit) combine to describe things matching or being proportionate.

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 →

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 稱; 称 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hérice
Sound part声符shēngfú
爯
爯chēng稱chēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 稱 pairs 禾 (rice) with 爯, a part giving the sound; it is explained as measuring rice. The simplified 称 is a later shorthand.

Open 称 →
Appears in
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