Definition
约 (yuē) is a versatile word: as a verb it means 'to make an appointment' or 'to invite', and as an adverb it means 'approximately'. For the verb sense, 约 is the general word for arranging to meet; 预约 (yù yuē) is used for booking services (e.g., a doctor), and 约定 (yuē dìng) emphasizes agreeing on a plan after discussion. For the adverb sense, 约 is slightly more formal than the common spoken 大约 (dà yuē).
verb
to make an appointmentto arrange to meetto invite
adverb
approximatelyabout
Easily confused
- 的delook-alike(possessive/attribute particle) used after a modifier to indicate possession or attribute
- 月yuèsound-alikemoon
- 豹bàolook-alikeleopard, panther
- 越yuèsound-alike(adverb, in structure '越A越B') the more... the more
- 药yàolook-alikemedicine
- 曰yuēsound-aliketo say (archaic/literary, used in classical texts and formal quotations)
Examples
- 约。Wǒ míngtiān yuē le péngyou yìqǐ chīfàn.I made an appointment to eat with a friend tomorrow.
- 约。Jiàoshì lǐ yǒu yuē èrshí gè xuéshēng.There are approximately twenty students in the classroom.
- 约。Wǒ yuē tā lái wǒ jiā wán.I invited him to come to my house to play.
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