筹建 (chóu jiàn) — to prepare for the construction or establishment of something

Definition

筹建 emphasizes the preparatory/planning stage before something is built or set up — the work isn't yet underway. 创办 focuses on actually founding or launching.

verb
to prepare for the construction or establishment of something

Examples

  • 筹建，。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù zhèng zài chóu jiàn zhōng, yù jì míng nián kāi gōng.
    This project is in the preparation stage and is expected to break ground next year.
  • 筹建。
    Gōng sī chóu jiàn le yí zuò xīn de yán fā zhōng xīn.
    The company is making preparations to build a new R&D center.
  • 筹建。
    Dāng dì zhèng fǔ zhèng zài chóu jiàn yì suǒ dà xué.
    The local government is preparing to establish a university.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

筹chóuplan/prepare
建jiànbuild/establish

筹 means to plan and prepare, while 建 means to build or establish; together they describe preparing for construction or founding.

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 籌; 筹 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
竹竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
壽
壽shòu籌chóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 籌 has 竹 (bamboo) on top and 壽 below as the sound part; the simplified 筹 is a later shorthand.

Open 筹 →

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

  • 廴廴yǐn
  • 聿聿yù

The shape 建 shows 廴 and 聿, but it comes from an older drawing of a hand planting a pole into a base; the lower part of 聿 is not a brush.

Open 建 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.