辅 (fǔ) — (bound form) to assist, to aid, to complement
Definition
辅 is a bound form (always part of a compound like 辅导, 辅助): it means to assist or complement, but it never stands alone as a verb — pair it with a partner like 导 or 助 to express 'guide' or 'help'.
bound form
to assistto aidto complement
Easily confused
- 脯fǔlook-alikebreast; chest (bound form, used in compounds)
- 父fǔsound-alike(bound form, literary) old man, elder (in respectful compounds)
- 铺pūlook-aliketo spread, to lay flat (e.g., a sheet, a map)
- 府fǔsound-alike(bound form) seat of government; government office
- 埔bùlook-alike(bound form) flat land near a river or ocean, used in place names
- 斧fǔsound-alikeax, hatchet (bound form, used in compounds)
Examples
- 。Tā fù zé fǔ dǎo xué shēng de xué xí.He is responsible for tutoring the students' studies.
- 。Zhè liǎng gè zhèng cè shì xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng de.These two policies complement each other.
- 。Wǒ men ān zhuāng le fǔ zhù shè bèi lái tí gāo xiào lǜ.We installed auxiliary equipment to improve efficiency.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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 輔; 辅 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
The traditional form 輔 pairs 車 (cart) with 甫 as a sound part; the simplified 辅 is a later abbreviation.
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