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随叫随到 (suí jiào suí dào) — to be on call at any hour; to provide immediate service upon request (e.g., delivery)

Definition

A set phrase describing a service or person who comes whenever summoned — always available, no appointment needed. Often used in ads and reviews for delivery, repair, or on-call staff.

verb
to be on call at any hourto provide immediate service upon request (e.g., delivery)

Examples

  • 随叫随到，。
    Wǒ men de wéi xiū fú wù suí jiào suí dào, nín suí shí dǎ diàn huà jiù xíng.
    Our repair service is on call; you can call anytime.
  • ，随叫随到，。
    Tā shì yì míng sī rén yī shēng, suí jiào suí dào, cóng bù dān wu.
    He is a private doctor, always on call, never delays.
  • ，随叫随到，。
    Zhè jiā cān tīng tí gōng wài mài, suí jiào suí dào, bàn xiǎo shí nèi sòng dào.
    This restaurant offers delivery, immediate upon order, delivered within half an hour.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

随叫called whenever
随suías叫jiàocall
偏正Modifier + head
随到arriving whenever
随suías到dàoarrive
偏正Modifier + head

随叫 (called whenever) and 随到 (arriving whenever) combine to mean being on call.

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 隨; 随 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalking
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡐦
𡐦𡐦隨suí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隨 pairs 辵 (walking) with 𡐦 (the sound part); the simplified 随 is a later shorthand.

Open 随 →

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
丩
丩jiū叫jiào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

叫 shows a mouth 口 and a sound part 丩. The mouth fits the old sense of shouting.

Open 叫 →

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 隨; 随 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalking
Sound part声符shēngfú
𡐦
𡐦𡐦隨suí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隨 pairs 辵 (walking) with 𡐦 (the sound part); the simplified 随 is a later shorthand.

Open 随 →

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
至至zhìto arrive
Sound part声符shēngfú
刀
刀dāo到dào
Same sound today

到 combines 至, meaning 'to arrive', with 刀 as the sound part. The 至 part points to the idea of reaching a stopping point.

Open 到 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set Phrases

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