还给 (huán gěi) — to return (something) to (someone)

Definition

还给 (huán gěi) is the resultative verb meaning 'return (something) TO (someone)' — it pairs the verb 还 with the preposition 给 to mark the recipient. Often used in 把-constructions and 給-constructions.

verb
to return (something) to (someone)

Examples

  • 还给。
    Wǒ bǎ nà běn shū huán gěi tā le.
    I returned that book to him.
  • 。
    Tā hái le yì běn xiǎo shuō gěi péng you.
    She returned a novel to a friend.
  • 还给。
    Zhè xiē gōng jù nǐ yīng gāi huán gěi gōng sī.
    You should return these tools to the company.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

还háireturn
给gěigive

还 return and 给 give combine to mean return something to someone.

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 還; 还 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
睘
睘qióng還hái
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 還 pairs 辵 (walk) with 睘 as a sound part for 'go back; return'; the simplified 还 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 还 →

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 給; 给 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
合
合hé給gěi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 給 uses 糸 (silk) for meaning and 合 for sound, and its old sense was rich, abundant, perhaps referring to precious silk; 给 is a later simplified form.

Open 给 →

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