<p>Why is there a 就 in 迁就?</p>
<p>迁, like the English word &quot;move&quot;, is too indefinite / general to be of much use in specific situations.</p>
<p>So, if we want to say &quot;to move / to shift / to change&quot; one's position physically, you say 迁移, (like migrating to somewhere)</p>
<p>However, if it is to &quot;to move / to shift / to change / to alter&quot; one's position in an &quot;intangible / abstract / non-material / subjective&quot; way, in order to adapt, to realign one's intellectual, conceptual, moral position to accommodate someone else's, (to achieve a consensus for example), then you need more than just 迁.</p>
<p>That's when 就 comes in; as a verb it could be equivalent to the English &quot;with regards to&quot;</p>
<p>Thus when 迁 is combined with 就 we create the compound to mean &quot;to move / to shift / to change / to alter&quot; one's position &quot;with regards to&quot; someone else's intellectual position or moral standpoint, i.e. &quot;to accommodate&quot;</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T05:47:17.543Z
2021-05-28T05:47:17.543Z
Wayne Cheah
<p>就 here means to approach, to move toward. For example, 以碗就口 means when eating, move the rice bowl toward one's mouth. The other way around would be 以口就碗. This is the way animals such as dogs and cats eat. They move their mouth toward the bowl to eat.</p>
<p>遷就 means one changes/gives up one's will/desire and choose/adapt to other's will/desire.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T08:01:01.600Z
2021-05-28T08:01:01.600Z
joehua
<p>After a long <a href="http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?7,138618,page=1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">discussion</a> about 就, I concluded that there are three basic definitions of 就</p>
<p>1.then; right away</p>
<p>2.only; just</p>
<p>3.near; close to</p>
<ul>
<li><p>迁 = move</p>
</li>
<li><p>就 = close to</p>
</li>
<li><p>迁就: to accommodate; yield to</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>The idiom 移船就磡 is a good example of why 迁就 means 'to accommodate' -- The ship moves to get close and fit into the port, not the other way around. In short, a ship must 迁就 the port</p>
<p>If someone in a stand which he wouldn't move away from, you accommodate him by moving yourself toward his stand</p>
<p>Let me give an example:</p>
<p>My Korean girlfriend loves Korean food, but I love Chinese food. So we have a different opinion or desire, I move from mine and get close to hers, and that is I 迁就 her (she was the port and I was the ship) we will go to a Korean restaurant</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T04:38:00.300Z
2021-05-28T04:53:45.907Z
2021-05-28T04:53:45.907Z
Tang Ho
<p>If you parse <code>遷就</code> very literally, they both mean 'to move', but <code>就</code> here is a verb which also means 'to move <em>towards</em> (sb.)'. Of course it doesn't mean <code>接近</code> 'to approach (sb.)' here; it's more figurative. I guess you could think of that as saying, you yield yourself <em>to</em> someone. (Just a side note: the unwillingness / negative connotation is less in <code>遷就</code> than <code>將就</code>) Frankly the logic in English (the preposition <em>to</em>) and Chinese is the same.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-31T09:27:39.460Z
1. I think it's very useful to look at 迁就 alongside 将就 as they share a common structure and similar meanings. // 
2. You seem to be saying that in 迁就 ,  part of what 就 is doing is to function like the English preposition "to". However I find the last sentence of this answer "Frankly the logic..." a bit confusing. The same in this specific case or more generally? Perhaps elaborating a little could be helpful here.
goPlayerJuggler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-31T13:35:46.257Z
@goPlayerJuggler I was referring to the “to” in the English equivalent of 就 (“yield to someone”) in my answer.
L Parker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T04:26:28.940Z
2021-05-28T04:40:18.223Z
2021-05-28T04:40:18.223Z
L Parker
<p>It seems we all agree 迁 means to move. It's a verb to me and 就 is likely to be a noun.
Referring from this website <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B0%B1/1942923?fr=aladdin#7_1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B0%B1/1942923?fr=aladdin#7_1</a>. In 古文解释 《说文解字》，就，高也。从京从尤。尤，异於凡也。saying that the meaning of 就 is &quot;tall&quot;, &quot;away from (being) ordinary&quot; (I'm not sure about 从高从尤 but I think it's about pronunciation). Thus, maybe u can express 迁 as to move/shift (away from where it should be) and 就 as a special need/demand/desire which shows it is different from what a person is fine with, so 迁就 is equivalent to compromise one's need.</p>
<p>就 can also be an adverb to describe how to 迁，but I don't feel this is the case here.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T23:43:33.753Z
It's problematic to see 就 as a noun because 遷就 itself is transitive.
L Parker
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-31T09:47:11.370Z
@LParker Well, in the past each character has a meaning in general except things like 之乎者也 and some phrases are used very differently in past and nowadays. For example 妻子 refers to 妻 and 子 in the past.  Other similar cases are quite prevalent especially in 成语. Thus, I believe 就 has a meaning here unless there is an example showing 就 has similar role as 之乎者也 here. It may not be a noun but u need to explain the meaning/function of 就.
Guanzzz
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T17:01:04.103Z
2021-05-28T17:01:04.103Z
Guanzzz
<p>You can't use 就 to express 迁就。</p>
<p>You can't use 迁 to express 迁就</p>
<p>That's why there is a 就 in 迁就。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-31T09:29:14.037Z
I downvoted because I do not see how this is helpful or answers the question.
goPlayerJuggler
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T12:36:33.893Z
2021-05-28T12:36:33.893Z
Pedroski
<p>就 has the sense of 依从 (to yield or accommodate oneself to) by itself as in 半推半就, 迁就.</p>
<p>Colloquially, we have a word 就手(儿) which denotes a similar sense. E. g.  我就手儿把这事办了。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-28T04:26:12.237Z
2021-05-28T04:26:12.237Z
dan
<blockquote>
<p>迁就 (qiān​jiù​)<br />
<a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E8%BF%81%E5%B0%B1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: to yield / to adapt to / to accommodate to (sth)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Breaking this apart, we have:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>迁 (qiān​)<br />
<a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E8%BF%81" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: to move / to shift / to change (a position or location etc) / to promote</p>
<p>就 (​jiù​)<br />
<a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E5%B0%B1" rel="nofollow noreferrer">CC-CEDICT</a>: at once / right away / only / just (emphasis) / as early as / already / as soon as / then / in that case / as many as / even if / to approach / to move towards / to undertake / to engage in / to suffer / subjected to / to accomplish / to take advantage of / to go with (of foods) / with regard to / concerning</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here, 迁 makes sense: something is indeed changing.  However, I don't understand what 就 is doing in this word.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: Why is there a 就 in 迁就?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-05-29T09:07:59.240Z
就 means  get, accept, etc. 就位 => in your place.
Daniel Yang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-06T10:10:28.520Z
“就”  是指达成，达到某个状态或点，可以是时刻也可以是抽象的成就之类的。迁 默认是指改变位置（地位，姿态，等，有时候迁特指降低，从高处往下移动），所以 迁就就是 降低姿态（因为是我改姿态而不是要求你改变）妥协以达到一个状态。所以就位，成就，就业，都是类似的用法。
Daniel Yang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-06-04T03:26:08.490Z
Related [Why does 就范 mean "to give in"?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/17653/8099).
Becky 李蓓
<etymology><word>
Why is there a 就 in 迁就?
# Why is there a 就 in 迁就?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-05-28)

> 迁就 (qiān​jiù​)  
> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E8%BF%81%E5%B0%B1): to yield / to adapt to / to accommodate to (sth)

Breaking this apart, we have:

> 迁 (qiān​)  
> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E8%BF%81): to move / to shift / to change (a position or location etc) / to promote
>
> 就 (​jiù​)  
> [CC-CEDICT](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?wdqb=%E5%B0%B1): at once / right away / only / just (emphasis) / as early as / already / as soon as / then / in that case / as many as / even if / to approach / to move towards / to undertake / to engage in / to suffer / subjected to / to accomplish / to take advantage of / to go with (of foods) / with regard to / concerning

Here, 迁 makes sense: something is indeed changing. However, I don't understand what 就 is doing in this word.

**Question**: Why is there a 就 in 迁就?

**Tags:** etymology, word

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 就 means  get, accept, etc. 就位 => in your place.  
> **username_0**: Related [Why does 就范 mean "to give in"?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/17653/8099).  
> **username_1**: “就”  是指达成，达到某个状态或点，可以是时刻也可以是抽象的成就之类的。迁 默认是指改变位置（地位，姿态，等，有时候迁特指降低，从高处往下移动），所以 迁就就是 降低姿态（因为是我改姿态而不是要求你改变）妥协以达到一个状态。所以就位，成就，就业，都是类似的用法。  

---

## 7 answers

### Answer by username_9 on 2021-05-28. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

就 has the sense of 依从 (to yield or accommodate oneself to) by itself as in 半推半就, 迁就.

Colloquially, we have a word 就手(儿) which denotes a similar sense. E. g. 我就手儿把这事办了。


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-05-28. Score: 3

Why is there a 就 in 迁就?

迁, like the English word "move", is too indefinite / general to be of much use in specific situations.

So, if we want to say "to move / to shift / to change" one's position physically, you say 迁移, (like migrating to somewhere)

However, if it is to "to move / to shift / to change / to alter" one's position in an "intangible / abstract / non-material / subjective" way, in order to adapt, to realign one's intellectual, conceptual, moral position to accommodate someone else's, (to achieve a consensus for example), then you need more than just 迁.

That's when 就 comes in; as a verb it could be equivalent to the English "with regards to"

Thus when 迁 is combined with 就 we create the compound to mean "to move / to shift / to change / to alter" one's position "with regards to" someone else's intellectual position or moral standpoint, i.e. "to accommodate"


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-05-28. Score: 2

就 here means to approach, to move toward. For example, 以碗就口 means when eating, move the rice bowl toward one's mouth. The other way around would be 以口就碗. This is the way animals such as dogs and cats eat. They move their mouth toward the bowl to eat.

遷就 means one changes/gives up one's will/desire and choose/adapt to other's will/desire.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2021-05-28. Score: 2

After a long [discussion](http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?7,138618,page=1) about 就, I concluded that there are three basic definitions of 就

1.then; right away

2.only; just

3.near; close to

* 迁 = move
* 就 = close to
* 迁就: to accommodate; yield to

The idiom 移船就磡 is a good example of why 迁就 means 'to accommodate' -- The ship moves to get close and fit into the port, not the other way around. In short, a ship must 迁就 the port

If someone in a stand which he wouldn't move away from, you accommodate him by moving yourself toward his stand

Let me give an example:

My Korean girlfriend loves Korean food, but I love Chinese food. So we have a different opinion or desire, I move from mine and get close to hers, and that is I 迁就 her (she was the port and I was the ship) we will go to a Korean restaurant


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-05-28. Score: 2

If you parse `遷就` very literally, they both mean 'to move', but `就` here is a verb which also means 'to move *towards* (sb.)'. Of course it doesn't mean `接近` 'to approach (sb.)' here; it's more figurative. I guess you could think of that as saying, you yield yourself *to* someone. (Just a side note: the unwillingness / negative connotation is less in `遷就` than `將就`) Frankly the logic in English (the preposition *to*) and Chinese is the same.

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: 1. I think it's very useful to look at 迁就 alongside 将就 as they share a common structure and similar meanings. //  2. You seem to be saying that in 迁就 ,  part of what 就 is doing is to function like the English preposition "to". However I find the last sentence of this answer "Frankly the logic..." a bit confusing. The same in this specific case or more generally? Perhaps elaborating a little could be helpful here.  
> **username_5**: @username_6 I was referring to the “to” in the English equivalent of 就 (“yield to someone”) in my answer.  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2021-05-28. Score: 0

It seems we all agree 迁 means to move. It's a verb to me and 就 is likely to be a noun.
Referring from this website <https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B0%B1/1942923?fr=aladdin#7_1>. In 古文解释 《说文解字》，就，高也。从京从尤。尤，异於凡也。saying that the meaning of 就 is "tall", "away from (being) ordinary" (I'm not sure about 从高从尤 but I think it's about pronunciation). Thus, maybe u can express 迁 as to move/shift (away from where it should be) and 就 as a special need/demand/desire which shows it is different from what a person is fine with, so 迁就 is equivalent to compromise one's need.

就 can also be an adverb to describe how to 迁，but I don't feel this is the case here.

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: It's problematic to see 就 as a noun because 遷就 itself is transitive.  
> **username_7**: @LParker Well, in the past each character has a meaning in general except things like 之乎者也 and some phrases are used very differently in past and nowadays. For example 妻子 refers to 妻 and 子 in the past.  Other similar cases are quite prevalent especially in 成语. Thus, I believe 就 has a meaning here unless there is an example showing 就 has similar role as 之乎者也 here. It may not be a noun but u need to explain the meaning/function of 就.  

---

### Answer by username_8 on 2021-05-28. Score: -1

You can't use 就 to express 迁就。

You can't use 迁 to express 迁就

That's why there is a 就 in 迁就。

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: I downvoted because I do not see how this is helpful or answers the question.  

---

