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预示 (yù shì) — to indicate, to foreshadow, to be a sign of

Definition

预示 describes a sign or event that points to what is coming — a present clue foreshadowing a future outcome. Unlike 预感 (a personal inner feeling), it is outward evidence, and unlike 预兆 it focuses on the indicating action rather than the sign itself.

verb
to indicateto foreshadowto be a sign of
Easily confused

Examples

  • 预示。
    Zhè xiē jì xiàng yù shì le wèi lái de biàn huà.
    These signs indicate future changes.
  • 预示。
    Tā de biǎo qíng yù shì tā bìng bù gāo xìng.
    His expression indicated he was not happy.
  • 预示。
    Zǎo shàng de yún yù shì jīn tiān huì xià yǔ.
    The morning clouds foretell that it will rain today.

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.

预yùbeforehand
示shìshow

The 预 meaning beforehand combines with 示 meaning show to signal something ahead of time.

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 預; 预 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
予
予yǔ預yù
Same sound today

The traditional form 預 combines 予 for the sound and 頁 for the meaning; the simplified 预 is a later shorthand.

Open 预 →

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

示 began as a drawing of an altar. Extra strokes were added to keep it distinct from unrelated old forms.

Open 示 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Cause, Effect & Logic

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