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让步 (ràng bù) — to concede, to give in, to yield

Definition

让步 means to concede a point or back down, usually in negotiation or argument. 放弃 is giving up entirely; 承认 is admitting a fact. 退让 is a near-synonym, slightly milder and more about stepping aside.

verb
to concedeto give into yield

Examples

  • 让步。
    Tā zuì zhōng ràng bù le.
    He finally conceded.
  • 。
    Shuāng fāng zài tán pàn zhōng gè ràng le yí bù.
    Both sides gave in a step during the negotiation.
  • 让步，。
    Tā bù kěn ràng bù, jiān chí zì jǐ de yì jiàn.
    She refused to give in and insisted on her own opinion.

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
步bùstep

让 means to yield, and 步 means a step; together they describe giving ground or conceding.

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 →

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

步 uses two 止 (foot) forms, one reversed, to show one foot stepping in front of the other.

Open 步 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Conflict & Agreement

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