缓期 (huǎn qī) — to postpone a deadline; to defer a due date

Definition

A formal/legal verb meaning to postpone or defer a deadline — commonly used for court sentences, loan repayments, or other official due dates. It is more formal and specific than the general word 推迟.

verb
to postpone a deadlineto defer a due date

Examples

  • 缓期。
    Fǎ yuàn jué dìng huǎn qī zhí xíng tā de pàn jué.
    The court decided to suspend the execution of his sentence.
  • 。
    Dài kuǎn kě yǐ huǎn sān gè yuè qī.
    The loan can be deferred for three months.
  • 缓期。
    Tā men shēn qǐng le huǎn qī fù kuǎn.
    They applied for deferred payment.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

缓huǎndelay
期qīdeadline

Putting off the deadline means delaying the date by which something is due.

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 緩; 缓 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
爰
爰yuán緩huǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緩 pairs 糸 (silk) with 爰, which gives the sound; the simplified 缓 is a later shorthand.

Open 缓 →

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
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí期qī
Same sound today

The original form paired 其 for its sound with 日 (sun). A related form changed that sun to 月, and this later developed into 期.

Open 期 →

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