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谋取 (móu qǔ) — to seek, to strive for

Definition

谋取 (móuqǔ) is a formal/written verb meaning 'to seek (an interest, benefit, or advantage),' often with a strategic or self-serving nuance. Stronger and more deliberate than 寻求 ('to look for') and 比 争取 ('to strive for') more calculating.

verb
to seekto strive for

Examples

  • 谋取，。
    Tā wèi le móu qǔ gèng gāo de zhí wèi, fù chū le hěn duō nǔ lì.
    He made a lot of effort to seek a higher position.
  • 谋取。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī shì tú móu qǔ gèng dà de shì chǎng fèn é.
    This company is trying to strive for a larger market share.
  • 谋取。
    Wǒ men bù néng yòng bú zhèng dāng de shǒu duàn móu qǔ lì yì.
    We cannot seek benefits through improper means.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

谋móuseek
取qǔobtain

谋 and 取 are parallel actions, seeking and obtaining what is wanted.

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 謀; 谋 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
某
某mǒu謀móu
Same sound today

The traditional form 謀 uses 言 to show it relates to speech and 某 to show its sound; the simplified 谋 is a later shorthand.

Open 谋 →

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

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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