随访 (suí fǎng) — to follow up (with a patient or research subject) through regular visits or correspondence

Definition

A formal/medical term for following up with a patient or research subject over time through visits or contact. Used in clinical and research contexts, not everyday conversation.

verb
to follow up (with a patient or research subject) through regular visits or correspondence

Examples

  • 随访。
    Yī shēng měi zhōu dōu huì suí fǎng chū yuàn bìng rén.
    The doctor follows up with discharged patients every week.
  • 随访。
    Yán jiū rén yuán duì zhì yuàn zhě jìn xíng le cháng qī suí fǎng.
    The researchers conducted a long-term follow-up with the volunteers.
  • 随访，。
    Wǒ men suí fǎng le sān nián, méi yǒu fā xiàn yì cháng.
    We followed up for three years and found no abnormalities.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

随suífollow
访fǎngvisit

随 indicates following up, while 访 indicates visiting; together they describe regular follow-up visits.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 訪; 访 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yántalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng訪fǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 訪 pairs 言 (talk) with 方 to give the sound; the simplified 访 is a shorthand, so its right side is not the historical part.

Open 访 →

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