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顺从 (shùn cóng) — to comply with; to obey; to submit to

Definition

顺从 (shùncóng) means to yield and obey another's will, often at the cost of your own. Stronger and more submissive than 服从 (following orders/authority); broader than 听话 (typically a child doing as told).

verb
to comply withto obeyto submit to

Examples

  • 顺从，。
    Tā cóng bú shùn cóng bié rén de ān pái, zǒng shì zì jǐ zuò jué dìng.
    She never complies with others' arrangements; she always makes her own decisions.
  • ，顺从。
    Zài jūn duì lǐ, shì bīng bì xū shùn cóng shàng jí de mìng lìng.
    In the military, soldiers must obey their superiors' orders.
  • ，顺从。
    Tā wèi le jiā tíng fàng qì le mèng xiǎng, zhè zhǒng shùn cóng ràng rén xīn téng.
    He gave up his dreams for his family — this kind of submission is heartbreaking.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

顺shùncomply
从cóngfollow

「顺」 and 「从」 together mean complying and following.

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 順; 顺 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
川
川chuān順shùn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 順 pairs 川 (river), which gives the sound, with 頁 (head); the picture is a head in a river, following the current. The simplified 顺 is a shorthand.

Open 顺 →

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 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Personality & Traits

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