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空置 (kōng zhì) — to leave idle or unused (of property, equipment, etc.)

Definition

A formal/written verb meaning 'to leave idle or unused' (property, equipment, shops). Often paired with 起来 as 空置起来, or used with 着 to mark an ongoing idle state.

verb
to leave idle or unused (of property, equipment, etc.)

Examples

  • 空置。
    Zhè dòng lóu yǐ jīng kōng zhì liǎng nián le.
    This building has been idle for two years.
  • 空置，。
    Gōng sī bǎ jiù chǎng fáng kōng zhì qǐ lái, zhǔn bèi yǐ hòu zài yòng.
    The company left the old factory idle, planning to use it later.
  • 空置。
    Hěn duō shāng pù yīn wèi shēng yì bù hǎo ér kōng zhì zhe.
    Many shops are left unused because business is bad.

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.

空kōngempty
置zhìput

空 means empty and 置 means put, together they describe putting something in an idle, unused state.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
穴穴xuécave, hole
Sound part声符shēngfú
工
工gōng空kōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

空 is built from 穴, a cave or hole, and 工, which gives the sound.

Open 空 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
罒Written in full as网wǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí置zhì
Same sound today

置 is built from 罒, a net, on top and 直 below; 直 gives the sound.

Open 置 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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