协

協

xié

办 + 十

Definitions

xié (verb) to cooperate; to assist; to help

xié (verb) to harmonize

Etymology

Simplified form of 協. Phonosemantic compound. 十 represents the sound and 劦 represents the meaning.

Semantic: 办 Phonetic: 十

About

协 (xié), meaning "cooperation", is the simplified form of the traditional 協. This was originally a phonosemantic compound: the left side 十 (shí) hints at the sound, while the right side 劦 (xié) provides the meaning through three 力 (lì, "strength") figures, evoking multiple people pooling their power. The simplified character keeps 十 but replaces the triple-strength component with 办 (bàn, "to handle, to manage"). The overall sense centers on coordinating efforts, working in harmony, and accomplishing a shared goal.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Shang dynasty (~1100 BC)

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我们协作完成工作。

wǒ men xié zuò wán chéng gōng zuò.

We cooperate to complete the work.

他们协商了很长时间。

tā men xié shāng le hěn cháng shí jiān.

They negotiated for a long time.

协会支持这个计划。

xié huì zhī chí zhè ge jì huà.

The association supports this plan.

双方签订了和平协定。

shuāng fāng qiān dìng le hé píng xié dìng.

Both sides signed a peace agreement.

协调不同意见需要技巧。

xié tiáo bù tóng yì jiàn xū yào jì qiǎo.

Coordinating different opinions requires skill.

各部门必须协同作战。

gè bù mén bì xū xié tóng zuò zhàn.

All departments must collaborate in the operation.

社会各界协力促进发展。

shè huì gè jiè xié lì cù jìn fā zhǎn.

All sectors of society work together to promote development.

经过反复协商，双方终于达成了一项互利共赢的协议。

jīng guò fǎn fù xié shāng, shuāng fāng zhōng yú dá chéng le yī xiàng hù lì gòng yíng de xié yì.

After repeated negotiations, both parties finally reached a mutually beneficial and win-win agreement.

Related Characters

Component: 办

Component: 十

协