素有 (sù yǒu) — to have always had; to have consistently possessed (a quality, reputation, habit, etc.)

Definition

Literary phrase meaning 'long known for' or 'having consistently possessed' (a quality, reputation, or habit). Written/archaic in tone — use in formal prose, not everyday speech.

verb
to have always hadto have consistently possessed (a quality, reputation, habit, etc.)

Examples

  • 素有“”。
    Zhōng guó sù yǒu "lǐ yí zhī bāng" zhī chēng.
    China has always been known as a 'land of propriety'.
  • 素有。
    Tā sù yǒu zǎo qǐ de xí guàn.
    He has always had the habit of getting up early.
  • 素有。
    Zhè ge dì fāng sù yǒu ān quán zhī měi míng.
    This place has always had a fine reputation for safety.

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.

素sùalways
有yǒuhave

'素' means always, and '有' means have, giving have long possessed.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 素 came from a picture of hands braiding thread.

Open 素 →

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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