经由 (jīng yóu) — via, by way of (indicating route, channel, or intermediary)

Definition

A formal preposition meaning 'via / by way of' — marks a route, channel, or intermediary through which something passes. More written and explicit than 通过.

preposition
viaby way of (indicating route, channel, or intermediary)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 经由。
    Wǒ men jīng yóu xiāng gǎng fēi wǎng lún dūn.
    We fly to London via Hong Kong.
  • 经由。
    Zhè ge xiāo xi jīng yóu méi tǐ chuán bō kāi lái.
    This news spread through the media.
  • 经由。
    Huò wù jīng yóu hǎi yùn sòng dá.
    The goods are delivered by sea freight.

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.

经jīngpass through
由yóuby way of

经 means to pass through and 由 means by way of, together indicating a route or channel.

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 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìsilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng經jīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →

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

It began as a drawing of new shoots or leaves growing upward from a plant-like base.

Open 由 →

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