Meaning
设 is a versatile verb meaning to establish, set up, or install something. It can refer to physical installations like facilities or equipment, or abstract concepts like establishing organizations or making hypothetical assumptions. The character appears in many compound words related to design, facilities, and equipment.
Usage
设 is commonly used in formal or written contexts, especially in technical, academic, or administrative language. It frequently appears in compound words like 设计 (design), 设备 (equipment), and 设立 (establish). When used alone to mean 'assume' or 'suppose', it's typically found in mathematical or logical contexts.
Examples
- 01这家公司在上海设立了新的办事处。.This company established a new office in Shanghai.
- 02我们假设这个理论是正确的。.We assume this theory is correct.
Common collocations
- 设立机构establish an organization
- 设置密码set a password
- 设想to imagine, envision
- 假设to assume, hypothesis
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 設 consists of the speech radical 言 and 殳, which originally depicted a hand holding a tool. This suggests the meaning of arranging or establishing something through planning and action.