所

suǒ

戶 + 斤

HSK 2.0Level 5

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

suǒ (noun) place; location

suǒ (particle) that which; particle introducing relative clause or passive

Etymology

Origin unclear. 戶 represents the sound.

About

Originally a phono-semantic compound, 所 combines the semantic component 斤 (axe) with the phonetic component 户 (door or household). Its earliest meaning referred to the sound of chopping wood, but this sense was soon lost. It was subsequently borrowed to denote a place or location, a meaning it retains today. In a major grammatical development, it also evolved into a frequent structural particle, placed before verbs to form noun phrases indicating the object or recipient of an action.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这是我所有的书。

Zhè shì wǒ suǒyǒu de shū.

This is all my books.

他所说的话很重要。

Tā suǒ shuō de huà hěn zhòngyào.

What he said is very important.

我们所在的城市很美丽。

Wǒmen suǒzài de chéngshì hěn měilì.

The city where we are is very beautiful.

所以你今天必须完成作业。

Suǒyǐ nǐ jīntiān bìxū wánchéng zuòyè.

Therefore, you must finish your homework today.

这件事被所有人所知晓。

Zhè jiàn shì bèi suǒyǒu rén suǒ zhīxiǎo.

This matter is known by everyone.

根据我所了解的情况，计划需要调整。

Gēnjù wǒ suǒ liǎojiě de qíngkuàng, jìhuà xūyào tiáozhěng.

According to the situation I understand, the plan needs adjustment.

政府所推行的政策得到了广泛支持。

Zhèngfǔ suǒ tuīxíng de zhèngcè dédàole guǎngfàn zhīchí.

The policy implemented by the government has received widespread support.

科学家所发现的这种现象颠覆了传统理论。

Kēxuéjiā suǒ fāxiàn de zhè zhǒng xiànxiàng diānfùle chuántǒng lǐlùn.

This phenomenon discovered by scientists has overturned traditional theory.

Related Characters

Component: 戶

所