适

適

kuò, shì

舌 + 辶

Definitions

shì (adjective) suitable; proper; fitting

shì (adjective) comfortable; well-adapted

shì (verb) to adapt to; to adjust to

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 舌 represents the sound. Simplified form of 適.

Semantic: 辶 Phonetic: 舌

About

适 is a simplified form of 適, combining the movement radical 辶 with the phonetic 舌 (shé, 'tongue'). In its traditional form, the phonetic was 啇, and the character originally referred to a woman going to her husband's home upon marriage, or more generally moving toward a destination or goal. Over time, the meaning shifted from physical arrival to abstract suitability, yielding the senses 'fitting', 'suitable', 'proper', or 'comfortable'. The simplified character replaces the complex right-side component 啇 with the simpler 舌, which serves purely as a sound indicator while 辶 retains the historical structural link to movement.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这本书很适合孩子。

Zhè běn shū hěn shìhé háizi.

This book is very suitable for children.

这个房间很舒适。

Zhè ge fángjiān hěn shūshì.

This room is very comfortable.

这里的气候很适宜。

Zhèlǐ de qìhòu hěn shìyí.

The climate here is very pleasant.

请适当休息一下。

Qǐng shìdàng xiūxi yīxià.

Please take a proper break.

他很快适应了新环境。

Tā hěn kuài shìyìng le xīn huánjìng.

He quickly adapted to the new environment.

我们必须适应变化。

Wǒmen bìxū shìyìng biànhuà.

We must adapt to changes.

找到适合自己的学习方法很重要。

Zhǎodào shìhé zìjǐ de xuéxí fāngfǎ hěn zhòngyào.

Finding a learning method that suits you is important.

在适当时机做出决定是成功的关键。

Zài shìdàng shíjī zuò chū juédìng shì chénggōng de guānjiàn.

Making decisions at the appropriate time is key to success.

Related Characters

Component: 舌

Component: 辶

适