冷处理 (lěng chǔ lǐ) — (metallurgy) cold treatment, subzero treatment; (figurative) deliberate non-response or postponement of an issue to let tensions cool

Definition

A literal metallurgy term (subzero treatment to harden metal), used figuratively for deliberately shelving an issue to let tempers cool. The figurative sense is what learners will meet in modern usage.

noun
(metallurgy) cold treatmentsubzero treatment(figurative) deliberate non-response or postponement of an issue to let tensions cool

Examples

  • 冷处理，。
    Zhè jiàn shì xiān lěng chǔ lǐ yí xià, děng dà jiā lěng jìng le zài tán.
    Let's put this matter on ice for now and talk about it once everyone has calmed down.
  • 冷处理。
    Tā duì nà ge wèn tí cǎi qǔ le lěng chǔ lǐ de tài dù.
    He adopted a wait-and-see attitude toward that issue.
  • 冷处理。
    Zhè zhǒng jīn shǔ jīng guò lěng chǔ lǐ hòu yìng dù huì tí gāo.
    After cold treatment, this metal's hardness increases.

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.

冷lěngcold
处理deal with
处chùhandle理lǐmanage
联合Side by side

冷 points to coldness or cooling, and 处理 means dealing with something, giving the sense of a cold treatment or letting a matter cool.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
冫Written in full as仌bīngice
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng冷lěng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

冷 uses 冫, the ice form, with 令 as a sound part, to mean cold as ice.

Open 冷 →

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ理lǐ
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →

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