() — (bound form) to store up, to save; (bound form) to grow (hair, beard); (bound form) to harbor (an idea, intention)

Definition

蓄 (xù) is a bound form — it never stands alone. It pairs with nouns like 蓄水 (store water), 蓄须 (grow a beard), 蓄意 (harbor an intention) to mean 'store up, accumulate, or hold onto'.

bound form
to store upto saveto grow (hair, beard)to harbor (an idea, intention)

Examples

  • Tā měi gè yuè dōu chǔ xù yí bù fen gōng zī.
    He saves part of his salary every month.
  • Tā jué dìng xù hú zi, kàn qǐ lái gèng chéng shú.
    He decided to grow a beard to look more mature.
  • Tā xù yì pò huài zhè cì huì yì, dà jiā dōu hěn shēng qì.
    He deliberately sabotaged this meeting, and everyone was very angry.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
Written in full ascǎograss, plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
chù
Same sound today

The top 艹 shows plants, and the lower 畜 gives the sound; the character is about cultivating plants and storing grain.

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