策 (cè) — strategy; plan; policy; to urge; to encourage; (historical) bamboo or wooden slips for writing

Definition

策 (cè) is a bound form, almost always part of compounds like 政策, 策略, or 鞭策 — it doesn't stand alone. As a verb it means 'to urge', stronger and more formal than 鼓励.

bound form
strategyplanpolicyto urgeto encourage(historical) bamboo or wooden slips for writing
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Zhèng fǔ xū yào tiáo zhěng xīn de zhèng cè.
    The government needs to adjust its new policy.
  • 。
    Gōng sī zhì dìng le yí gè cháng qī de cè lüè.
    The company has formulated a long-term strategy.
  • 。
    Jiào liàn de huà bú duàn biān cè tā qián jìn.
    The coach's words constantly spurred him forward.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì策cè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

策 pairs 竹 (bamboo) with 朿 as a sound part.

Appears in
Abstract ConceptsManagement

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