Meaning
订 means to make a reservation, place an order, or establish an agreement for something. It commonly appears in contexts involving booking tickets, hotel rooms, ordering goods, or subscribing to publications. The character originally meant 'to agree upon' or 'to settle' and has evolved to cover various commercial and service transactions.
Usage
Native speakers use 订 primarily for formal bookings and orders. It frequently combines with other words to form specific terms like 订票 (book tickets) or 订餐 (order food). While 订 can stand alone as a verb, it's most natural in compound words. It's more formal than casual expressions like 买 (buy) when discussing advance arrangements.
Examples
- 01我已经订了明天去北京的火车票。.I've already booked tomorrow's train ticket to Beijing.
- 02你订阅这本杂志多久了？?How long have you been subscribing to this magazine?
Common collocations
- 订票to book tickets
- 订房to book a room
- 订餐to order food/make a restaurant reservation
- 订阅to subscribe to
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 訂 combines 言 (speech/words) and 丁 (nail, fix), suggesting the idea of 'fixing with words' or 'making a verbal agreement.' The simplified form 订 retains the 丁 component.