Meanings of 隨
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About 隨
Podcast: 隨
Podcast: 隨
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AI Study Notes for 隨
随 (suí) vs 陪 (péi) — use 随 when emphasizing following or conforming to circumstances, while 陪 focuses on accompanying someone physically.
Learners often confuse 隨 with 幸 (xìng), which means 'fortunate' or 'lucky'. This word is more commonly used in informal contexts; be mindful of the nuances in formal writing. Common collocations include 隨便 (suíbiàn, 'casual') and 隨時 (suíshí, 'at any time').
While 隨 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to other words about movement and direction, such as 走 (zǒu, 'to walk') and 跟 (gēn, 'to follow'). Students should focus on its usage in phrases to understand its context better.
Learners sometimes misuse 隨 by confusing it with similar-sounding words. For example, using 隨 instead of 階 (jiē, 'step') can lead to misunderstandings. Always ensure the context fits the meaning of 'to follow'.
Pronunciation of 隨
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Etymology of 隨
Simplified form of 隨. Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 隋 represents the sound.
To walk 遀 to the city 阝; to follow a path
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 隨
Simplified form of 隨. Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 隋 represents the sound.
- 1The giveawayTo walk 遀 to the city 阝; to follow a path
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 隨? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 隨?
Decomposition of 隨
Identify the Components
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How to say to follow, to listen to, to submit to in Chinese
“to follow, to listen to, to submit to” in Chinese is隨
The character 隨 (suí) conveys the idea of following or accompanying someone or something. It is often used in contexts where one is submitting to circumstances or conforming to another's wishes. It can imply a sense of ease or naturalness in the act of following.
When to use 隨
Learners often confuse 隨 with 幸 (xìng), which means 'fortunate' or 'lucky'. This word is more commonly used in informal contexts; be mindful of the nuances in formal writing. Common collocations include 隨便 (suíbiàn, 'casual') and 隨時 (suíshí, 'at any time').
隨 or something close to it
随 (suí) vs 陪 (péi) — use 随 when emphasizing following or conforming to circumstances, while 陪 focuses on accompanying someone physically.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes misuse 隨 by confusing it with similar-sounding words. For example, using 隨 instead of 階 (jiē, 'step') can lead to misunderstandings. Always ensure the context fits the meaning of 'to follow'.
Write 隨
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Practice writing 隨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 隨
Compound Meaning
What does 随 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 隨
You can say 隨你喜歡 (suí nǐ xǐhuān), meaning 'as you like'.
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