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结果 (jiē guǒ) — (verb) to bear fruit (of plants); (verb, figurative) to yield results, to pay off (of efforts)

Definition

结果 (jiē guǒ) as a verb means 'to bear fruit' — literally for plants, figuratively for efforts paying off. Not to be confused with the more common noun 结果 (jié guǒ) meaning 'result/outcome'.

verb
to bear fruit (of plants)(verb, figurative) to yield resultsto pay off (of efforts)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 结果。
    Zhè kē píng guǒ shù jīn nián jiē guǒ le.
    This apple tree bore fruit this year.
  • 结果。
    Zhè xiē guǒ shù měi nián dōu jiē guǒ.
    These fruit trees bear fruit every year.
  • 结果。
    Tā de nǔ lì zhōng yú jiē guǒ le.
    His efforts finally bore fruit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

结jiébear
果guǒfruit

结 (bear) and 果 (fruit) combine to mean bearing fruit, hence yielding an outcome.

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 →

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

果 originally drew fruits hanging on a tree.

Open 果 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 61000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsAgriculture & Farming2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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