邀请 (yāo qǐng) — to invite | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

邀请 (yāoqǐng) is the formal 'to invite,' used for written invitations and events like meetings or parties. The everyday verb is 请; 约 is for arranging to meet someone casually.

verb

to invite

Measure word · 个

Examples

邀请。
Wǒ yāo qǐng nǐ cān jiā wǒ de shēng rì jù huì.
I invite you to attend my birthday party.
邀请。
Tā yāo qǐng wǒ yì qǐ qù kàn diàn yǐng.
He invited me to go see a movie together.
邀请。
Wǒ méi yǒu bèi yāo qǐng qù cān jiā nà ge huì yì.
I was not invited to attend that meeting.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

请qǐngrequest/invite

邀 and 请 both express asking someone to come, so together they mean to invite.

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.

辶敫邀

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuò

Sound part声符shēngfú

敫

敫jiǎo邀yāo

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

邀 pairs 辶, a walking part, with 敫, which gives the sound.

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 請; 请 is its simplified writing.

言青請

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

青

青qīng請qǐng

Same sound today

In the traditional form 請, 言 shows it relates to speaking, and 青 gives the sound; the simplified 请 is a later shorter form.

Appears in

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