随同 (suí tóng) — to accompany (in a formal or official capacity, e.g. on a trip, to a meeting)

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to accompany' in an official or professional capacity (e.g. on a trip, to a meeting), not casual everyday companying.

verb
to accompany (in a formal or official capacity, e.g. on a trip, to a meeting)

Examples

  • 随同。
    Tā suí tóng dài biǎo tuán fǎng wèn le sān gè guó jiā.
    He accompanied the delegation to visit three countries.
  • 随同。
    Mì shū suí tóng zǒng jīng lǐ chū xí le qiān yuē yí shì.
    The secretary accompanied the general manager to attend the signing ceremony.
  • 随同。
    Zhè xiē zī liào suí tóng wén jiàn yì qǐ jì chū.
    These materials accompany the documents and will be mailed together.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

随suífollow
同tóngtogether

随 and 同 both point to going along with someone, so the word means to accompany.

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

同 originally drew a pipe. It is the old form of 筒.

Open 同 →

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