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顺便 (shùn biàn) — in passing; while you're at it; conveniently (doing something without extra effort)

Definition

顺便 means doing something extra while already on one's way or already doing another task — no separate trip. 顺路 is more about the route being convenient; 随手/顺手 stress that the action is done with whatever is at hand.

adverb
in passingwhile you're at itconveniently (doing something without extra effort)

Examples

  • 顺便。
    Nǐ shùn biàn bāng wǒ mǎi píng shuǐ bā.
    Buy me a bottle of water while you're at it.
  • 顺便。
    Wǒ qù yóu jú shùn biàn gěi nǐ jì le xìn.
    I went to the post office and mailed the letter for you in passing.
  • 顺便。
    Xià bān hòu wǒ shùn biàn qù chāo shì mǎi le cài.
    After work I went to the supermarket and bought groceries on the way.

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.

顺shùnalong
便biànconvenient

顺 and 便 suggest acting along with convenience, without extra effort.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

便 pairs 亻 (person) with 更 (to change), showing a person changing posture to become comfortable.

Open 便 →

Grammar

Appears in
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