着落 (zhuó luò) — whereabouts; place where someone can be found;… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary/abstract noun for the 'settled location' of something — a person's whereabouts, a problem's solution, or a funding source. 比答案 (a concrete answer) 更书面, and emphasizes finding a home/responsible party rather than an answer.

noun

whereaboutsplace where someone can be foundreliable source (of funding, supplies, etc.)settlementsolution (to a problem)(of responsibility) place where it falls

Examples

着落。
Tā de zhuó luò dào xiàn zài hái bù qīng chǔ.
His whereabouts are still unclear.
着落。
Zhè bǐ zī jīn de zhuó luò yǐ jīng zhǎo dào le.
The reliable source for this funding has been found.
着落。
Zhè jiàn shì zhōng yú yǒu le zhuó luò.
This matter has finally reached a settlement.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

着zhesettle

着 suggests settling and 落 gives a place to land, so the sense is a reliable outcome or whereabouts.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艸艸cǎograss; plant

Sound part声符shēngfú

者

者zhě著zháo

Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

艹洛落

Meaning part形符xíngfú

艹Written in full as艸cǎo

Sound part声符shēngfú

洛

洛luò落luò

Same sound today

落 pairs 艹 with 洛; 洛 gives the sound, and 艹 relates to the meaning.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Abstract Concepts

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