让座 (ràng zuò) — to offer/give up one's seat (to someone else, e.g., on a bus); to invite someone to sit; to show a guest to a seat

Definition

A 离合词: in public-transport context it means 'to give up one's seat' (esp. to the elderly); in a host-guest setting it means to usher someone to a seat. The verb-object can split (让一次座, 让个座).

verb
to offer/give up one's seat (to someone else, e.g., on a bus)to invite someone to sitto show a guest to a seat
Easily confused

Examples

  • 让座。
    Tā měi cì zuò gōng jiāo dōu huì zhǔ dòng ràng zuò.
    He always proactively offers his seat every time he takes the bus.
  • ，。
    Jīn tiān zǎo shàng zài chē shàng, tā ràng le yí cì zuò gěi yí wèi lǎo nǎi nai.
    This morning on the bus, he gave up his seat once to an elderly grandma.
  • 让座，。
    Zhǔ rén rè qíng dì gěi kè rén ràng zuò, dà jiā dōu hěn gǎn xiè.
    The host warmly offered seats to the guests, and everyone was grateful.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

让ràngyield
座zuòseat

‘让’ means yield and ‘座’ means seat, together referring to giving up one’s seat.

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 讓; 让 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
襄
襄xiāng讓ràng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 讓 combines 言, showing speech, with 襄, giving the sound; the evidence links it to criticizing or reproaching. The simplified 让 is a later shorthand.

Open 让 →

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
广广guǎnghouse on cliff
Sound part声符shēngfú
坐
坐zuò座zuò
Same sound today

座 pairs 广, a house on a cliff, with 坐 to give the sound.

Open 座 →

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