約
简 约 · 繁 約Meanings
- to make an appointment
- to invite
- approximately
- pact
- treaty
- to economize
- to restrict
- to reduce (a fraction)
- concise
- treaty
- agreement
- convenant
- appointment
- engagement
- to restrain
- to restrict
- to control
- brief
- simple
About these definitions
Source definition segments, in their original order. Characters a definition cites are shown without their Mandarin pinyin; classifier lists that CC-Canto copied from CC-CEDICT are marked Mandarin. The community dictionary is not independently verified by zimai.
Reading & tones
Schematic citation-tone diagrams from the source numbers. These are not recordings or predictions of connected speech.
Same syllable, six tones
Characters whose customary Unihan reading (kCantonese) is this syllable in each tone, chosen as in the tone atlas (2013 standard level, then the number of CC-CEDICT words they form), with CC-Canto 2017's meaning for that reading; a dash means no catalogue character has that reading. Checked syllables (-p, -t, -k) normally carry tones 1, 3 and 6. Character readings, not word readings; no frequency implied.
Written characters
Both source spellings are represented. Written membership is not an etymological or semantic claim.
Mandarin comparison · separate source entries
CC-CEDICT, the Mandarin–English dictionary, lists the same written form:
- 約 yāo CC-CEDICT · Mandarinto weigh in a balance or on a scale
- 約 yuē CC-CEDICT · Mandarinto make an appointment; to invite; approximately; pact; treaty; to economize; to restrict; to reduce (a fraction); …
A separate source entry, shown for comparison. The same characters can carry different senses in Mandarin and in Cantonese; zimai does not align these senses.
CC-Canto includes this pinyin reference: yue1. It does not establish a Mandarin word with the same meaning.
Look up this spelling in the Mandarin dictionary ↗Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 23 senses · 2 Cantonese readings
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
joek3 · wok6
Cantonese word readings for 約. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.
CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack
Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section
Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.
character · Etymology 1
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to bundle up; to bind
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) rope; cord
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to restrain; to limit; to keep under control
- to make an appointment; to arrange
- appointment; meeting; arrangement
- treaty; agreement; covenant; pact; contract
- to invite or ask in advance
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to hinder; to block
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to save; to economise
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) frugal; economical; thrifty
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) brief; concise; succinct
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) poor; humble; low-ranking
- (mathematics) to reduce (a fraction)
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to prepare; to equip
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to seek; to pursue
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to estimate; to approximate; to reckon
- (colloquial) to weigh (on a balance or scale)
- about; approximately
- (Hong Kong, historical) district (of the City of Victoria)
- (Hong Kong, historical) pact, group of villages
character · Etymology 2
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 要 (yào, “gist; essentials”)
character · Etymology 3
- (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) cord for the string of a stringed instrument
character · Etymology 4
- (Hokkien) alternative form of 臆 (“to guess”)
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack