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省得 (shěng de) — lest; so as to avoid (an undesirable situation)

Definition

A conjunction meaning 'so as to avoid' or 'lest' — links a first action to the unwanted outcome it prevents. Sets up the purpose of the action in the main clause; the second clause names what is being avoided.

conjunction
lestso as to avoid (an undesirable situation)

Examples

  • ，省得。
    Nǐ zuì hǎo zǎo diǎn chū fā, shěng de lù shang dǔ chē.
    You'd better leave early to avoid traffic jams on the road.
  • ，省得。
    Wǒ xiān dǎ diàn huà wèn yí xià, shěng de bái pǎo yí tàng.
    I'll call first so we don't make a wasted trip.
  • ，省得。
    Chū mén qián jiǎn chá yí xià yào shi, shěng de jìn bù liǎo jiā.
    Check your keys before leaving so you don't get locked out.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

省shěngavoid/save
得désuffix

The sense of 省 as avoid or save is fixed with 得 to express so as to avoid or lest.

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.

The upper part of 省 is a changed form of 生, which gave the sound, while the lower 目 is an eye; the picture showed looking closely or inspecting.

Open 省 →

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

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →
Appears in
Cause, Effect & Logic

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