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称为 (chēng wéi) — to be called, to be known as

Definition

称为 (chēng wéi) is a written-form verb meaning 'to be called / known as,' used to label something by a title or category. More formal and written than the everyday 叫 and 叫作.

verb
to be calledto be known as

Examples

  • 称为""。
    Zhè ge chéng shì chēng wéi " huā yuán chéng shì ".
    This city is called "Garden City".
  • 称为。
    Tā chēng wéi wǒ men bān de bān zhǎng.
    He is known as the class monitor of our class.
  • 称为""。
    Zhè zhǒng zhí wù chēng wéi " xiān rén zhǎng ".
    This kind of plant is called a cactus.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

称chēngcall or name
为wèibe or become

称 gives 'call or name' and 为 gives 'be or become', so 称为 means to be called or known as.

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 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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Communication & Speech5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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