About
The character "契" derives from an early meaning of carving or engraving, evident in its structural composition of "大" over "㓞", where the component "㓞" itself includes "刀" to signify the action of a knife. Originally denoting the physical act of incising, especially onto bamboo or wood for keeping records, the term gradually came to represent the inscribed objects themselves, which served as tangible proofs of agreements. This functional shift led to the character's primary contemporary meaning pertaining to contracts, deeds, or pacts, directly stemming from the historical practice of formalizing understandings through carved documents.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们签了一份契约。
他们之间很有默契。
这是重要的契据。
他在石头上契刻文字。
这份契约需要双方同意。
他是我的契友之一。
这次会议是一个重要的契机。
在商业交往中，契约精神至关重要。