试用期 (shì yòng qī) — probation period (at a job)

Definition

noun
probation period (at a job)

Examples

  • 试用期
    Wǒ zài gōng sī de shì yòng qī shì sān gè yuè.
    My probation period at the company is three months.
  • 试用期
    Tā hái zài shì yòng qī, suǒ yǐ gōng zī bǐ jiào dī.
    He is still on probation, so his salary is relatively low.
  • 试用期
    shì yòng qī Jié shù hòu, gōng sī huì jué dìng shì fǒu zhuǎn zhèng.
    After the probation period ends, the company will decide whether to make the position permanent.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

试用trial use
偏正Modifier + head
period

'试用期' joins '试用' trial use and '期' period, meaning the period for trying out a job.

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 試; 试 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
shìshì
Same sound today

The traditional form 試 puts 言 beside 式, and 式 gives the sound; the simplified 试 is the form of this character.

Open 试 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

用 was formed by adding a handle to an earlier form.

Open 用 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
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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