送还 (sòng hái) — to return (something) to someone; give back

Definition

verb
to return (something) to someonegive back

Examples

  • 送还。
    Qǐng bǎ zhè běn shū sòng hái gěi tú shū guǎn.
    Please return this book to the library.
  • ，送还。
    Tā jiè le wǒ de qián, zuó tiān zhōng yú sòng hái le.
    He borrowed money from me and finally gave it back yesterday.
  • 送还。
    Shī zhǔ jī dòng dì shōu dào le sòng hái de zhèng jiàn.
    The owner excitedly received the returned documents.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

送sòngsend
还háiback

送还 combines 送 send with 还 back to mean give something back.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòto walk
Sound part声符shēngfú
灷
灷zhuàn送sòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

送 combines 辶, the walking radical, with 灷, which supplies the sound; the walking part fits meanings like see off or deliver.

Open 送 →

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 →

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