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适应 (shì yìng) — to adapt (to); to get used to

Definition

适应 means you change yourself to fit new conditions (a place, situation, role). It is more about personal adjustment than 适合 ('be suitable for,' describing a fit that already exists). 顺应 is a stronger, more formal synonym following external trends.

verb
to adapt (to)to get used to

Examples

  • 适应。
    Tā hěn kuài shì yìng le xīn huán jìng.
    He quickly adapted to the new environment.
  • 适应。
    Wǒ huā le liǎng gè yuè shì yìng zhè lǐ de tiān qì.
    It took me two months to get used to the weather here.
  • 适应。
    Xué shēng xū yào shì yìng xīn de xué xí fāng shì.
    Students need to adapt to new study methods.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

适shìfit
应yìngrespond

适 means fit and 应 means respond, so together they express adjusting to fit circumstances.

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 適; 适 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
啻
啻chì適shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 適 pairs 辶 (walking) with a sound part; its inner part was originally 啻 and was stylized into 啇. The simplified 适 is a later variant.

Open 适 →

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
䧹
䧹䧹應yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →
Appears in
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