余波 (yú bō) — repercussions; aftereffects; aftermath (esp. negative residual impact of an event)

Definition

Literary/formal noun for the lingering 'aftereffects or repercussions' of an event — emphasizes the residual impact spreading outward over time, not the event itself.

noun
repercussionsaftereffectsaftermath (esp. negative residual impact of an event)

Examples

  • 余波。
    Zhè chǎng zhàn zhēng de yú bō chí xù le shí jǐ nián.
    The repercussions of this war lasted for over a decade.
  • 余波。
    Jīng jì wēi jī de yú bō zhì jīn réng wèi wán quán xiāo tuì.
    The aftermath of the economic crisis has still not completely faded.
  • 余波。
    Shì gù de yú bō yǐng xiǎng le zhěng gè shè qū.
    The aftereffects of the accident affected the entire community.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

余yúremaining
波bōwave

余 (remaining) and 波 (wave) combine to suggest the lasting effects after an event.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 餘; 余 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
食食shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú餘Yú
Same sound today

The traditional form 餘 pairs 食 (food) with 余 as its sound part; the simplified 余 is a later abbreviation.

Open 余 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí波bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

Open 波 →

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