约定 (yuē dìng) — to agree on (a plan, arrangement, etc. after discussion); to make an appointment, to promise to meet

Definition

约定 is 'to agree on / arrange' a plan or time together, after mutual discussion. Use 约会 for a social date, and 规定 for a one-sided rule or regulation.

verb
to agree on (a plan, arrangement, etc. after discussion)to make an appointmentto promise to meet

Examples

  • 约定。
    Wǒ men yuē dìng le jiàn miàn de shí jiān.
    We agreed on a meeting time.
  • 约定。
    Tā men yuē dìng míng tiān wǎn shàng tán yi tán.
    They arranged to talk tomorrow evening.
  • 约定？
    Nǐ yuē dìng le yí gè shí jiān ma?
    Did you arrange a time?

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.

约yuēagree/arrange
定dìngset/fix

约 and 定 both carry arranging and setting, giving the sense of agreeing on or making an arrangement.

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 約; 约 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo約yuē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 約 uses 糸, a rope, for its meaning and 勺 for its sound; the simplified 约 is a later shorthand.

Open 约 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Conflict & Agreement5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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