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结为 (jié wéi) — to enter into (a specified relationship); to become (spouse, partners, etc.)

Definition

结为 (jié wéi) is a formal written verb meaning 'to enter into / become' a named relationship — husband and wife, partners, allies, etc. It takes a specific relationship as its object (结为夫妻, 结为伙伴); for ordinary 'to become', use 变成 or 成为.

verb
to enter into (a specified relationship)to become (spouse, partners, etc.)

Examples

  • ，结为。
    Tā men jīng guò duō nián liàn ài, zhōng yú jié wéi fū qī.
    After years of dating, they finally became husband and wife.
  • 结为。
    Liǎng guó jié wéi zhàn lüè huǒ bàn guān xì.
    The two countries entered into a strategic partnership.
  • 结为。
    Wǒ xī wàng wǒ men cóng cǐ jié wéi hǎo péng you.
    I hope we become good friends from now on.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

结jiéjoin
为wèibecome

结 (join) and 为 (become) combine to mean join and become, as in a relationship.

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 結; 结 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
吉
吉jí結jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 結 pairs 糸 with 吉; 吉 gives the sound, and 糸 relates to the meaning. The simplified 结 is a later shorthand.

Open 结 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 為; 为 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 為 showed a hand holding an elephant; the simplified 为 is a later shorthand.

Open 为 →
Appears in
Romance & Marriage

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