Phonosemantic compound. 糹 represents the meaning and 勺 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "bind". The meaning later shifted to "agreement", "restrain", "keep under control", "appointment", and "approximately".
Components
Notes
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Similar Characters
总 altogether (simp)絕 discontinue (trad)絲 silk (trad)糾 entangle (trad/jp)紀 epoch (trad/jp)紂 name of an emperor (trad)紅 red (trad/jp)紆 bend (trad)紈 white (trad)紉 thread (trad)紋 design (trad/jp)納 let in (trad/jp)紐 new (trad)紓 relieve (trad)純 unadulterated (trad/jp)紕 spoiled (trad)紗 yarn (trad)紙 paper (trad/jp)級 rank (trad/jp)紛 disorderly (trad/jp)
Historical Evolution
约
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
约
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
约
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
约
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
约
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
约
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
约
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
约
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
约
Regular
Modern
Chinese
约 / 約 [yāo]
to weigh in a balance or on a scale
约 / 約 [yuē]
to make an appointment; to invite; approximately; pact; treaty; to economize; to restrict; to reduce (a fraction); concise
Japanese
adverb
- approximately; about
noun
- promise; appointment; engagement
- shortening; reduction; simplification
- contraction (in phonetics)
Example Sentences
Japanese Names
約 やく
Yaku female given name
CHINESE WORDS (200)
约会 [yuēhuì] #539
appointment
纽约 [Niǔyuē] #695
New York
大约 [dàyuē] #1,923
approximately
约翰 [Yuēhàn] #1,398
John (name)
合约 [héyuē] #4,477
treaty
约定 [yuēdìng] #4,461
to agree on sth (after discussion)
节约 [jiéyuē] #12,261
to economize
签约 [qiānyuē] #6,809
to sign a contract or agreement
预约 [yùyuē] #3,249
booking
制约 [zhìyuē] #23,980
to restrict
190 more
items
JAPANESE WORDS (200)
⭐ 約束 [やくそく] #644
promise
⭐ 契約 [けいやく] #2,173
contract
⭐ 婚約 [こんやく] #3,817
engagement
⭐ 予約 [よやく] #5,374
reservation
お約束 [おやくそく] #6,577
promise
⭐ 婚約者 [こんやくしゃ] #8,126
fiance
⭐ 節約 [せつやく] #11,144
economising
約束を守る [やくそくをまもる] #11,519
to keep a promise
⭐ 約束通り [やくそくどおり] #11,681
as promised
⭐ 制約 [せいやく] #12,550
limitation
190 more
items