耦 (ǒu) · to plow with two people working as a pair (classical)

Meanings

1 to plow with two people working as a pair (classical)
2 to pair; to couple
3 a pair; a partner
4 ploughshare (archaic)

Characters

耦

ǒu

to pair; coupling

Examples

HSK 5

物理学中的耦合指两个系统之间的相互作用。

Wùlǐxué zhōng de ǒuhé zhǐ liǎng gè xìtǒng zhījiān de xiānghù zuòyòng.

In physics, 'coupling' refers to the interaction between two systems.

HSK 6

松耦合使软件系统更易维护。

Sōng ǒuhé shǐ ruǎnjiàn xìtǒng gèng yì wéihù.

Loose coupling makes a software system easier to maintain.

HSK 7-9

他俩并肩耦耕，颇有古风。

Tā liǎ bìngjiān ǒugēng, pō yǒu gǔfēng.

The two of them plowed side by side, just as the ancients did.

Tips

usage

Two distinct registers. Classical: 耦耕 (two-person ploughing), famous from 《论语》 - 长沮桀溺耦而耕 (the recluses 'plowed in pairs'). Modern STEM: 耦合 (coupling) is the standard physics / engineering / software-architecture term - 强耦合 (tight coupling), 解耦 (decoupling). Same character, very different worlds.

mistakes

耦 and 偶 sound identical but split semantic duty: 耦 for technical 'coupling' and classical 'plough-pair'; 偶 for 'mate / spouse / coincidence' (配偶, 偶然). Don't write 偶合 when you mean the engineering term - that means 'fortuitous coincidence'.

Components

radical

耒 lěi

wooden plough handle

Left 耒 (Kangxi #127) - the plough-handle radical, depicting an angled wooden hoe. Anchors the agricultural sense of two-person plowing. Same radical drives 耕 (plough), 耘 (weed), 耙 (rake).

phonetic

禺 yú

phonetic element

Right 禺 - phonetic. The same component, also paired with 亻, gives 偶 (mate); both characters belong to the 禺 phonetic series (遇, 寓, 愚).