About
The Chinese word 寄托 (jìtuō) is a compound formed by the combination of two characters with related meanings, a common morphological process in Chinese. The first character, 寄 (jì), carries the core meaning of "to entrust," "to deposit," or "to send." The second character, 托 (tuō), means "to hold in the palm," "to support," or "to entrust." When combined, their individual senses of "entrusting" and "supporting" merge to create a new, nuanced meaning: to place one's emotions, hopes, or ideals onto a person, object, or abstract concept, thereby finding psychological sustenance or a sense of purpose. Thus, the formation exemplifies how two verbs with concrete actions can unite to express a complex, abstract psychological state.