() - Sentence & phrase

Tone 4

jù | 5 strokes | radical: 勹

·

Sentence;

phrase;

clause;

measure word for sentences or lines of verse;

(archaic) bent, curved.

Sentencephraseclause

Usage highlights

SentencePhraseClauseInterrogative sentenceDeclarative sentencePoetic line

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • word (a smaller unit)
  • text, essay (a larger unit)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • This is a complete sentence (一个完整的句子).
  • Please write a sentence (请写一个句子).
  • He spoke in short phrases (他用短语说话).
  • Ancient Chinese poetry often has five or seven characters per line (五言句或七言句).

Collocations

  • Sentence(句子)
  • Phrase(短语)
  • Clause(从句)
  • Interrogative sentence(疑问句)
  • Declarative sentence(陈述句)
  • Poetic line(诗句)

Idioms

  • To search for the right word, to be meticulous in wording(字斟句酌)
  • Rare words and strange phrases(奇字怪句)
  • To break a sentence incorrectly(断章取句)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted a hook or something bent; later borrowed to mean a segment of speech or writing.
  • Fundamental unit in Chinese grammar and classical poetry, where the number of characters per line (句) is a key structural element.

FAQ