Definitions
About
The character 约 is the simplified form of 約, a phono-semantic compound originating from the use of cords. It combines the semantic silk radical 纟 on the left with the phonetic component 勺 (meaning spoon or ladle) on the right. Since silk threads were historically used for tying and securing objects, its original sense referred to the physical act of binding or restricting. This concrete meaning later extended to abstract concepts such as reaching an agreement, forming a treaty, or making an appointment, and also developed the mathematical sense of reducing a fraction or approximating a quantity.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们约好明天见。
大约有五个人来了。
他约定时间见面。
节约用水很重要。
他们签了一份合约。
老师约见了学生家长。
我们必须约束自己的行为。
根据约定，双方都应遵守规则。