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助长 (zhù zhǎng) — to encourage (negative traits), to foster, to abet

Definition

助长 (zhù zhǎng) means to feed or fuel a bad quality — used almost exclusively with negative traits like laziness, arrogance, or unrest, not positive ones.

verb
to encourage (negative traits)to fosterto abet

Examples

  • 助长。
    Zhè zhǒng jiào yù fāng shì zhī huì zhù zhǎng hái zi de lǎn duò.
    This kind of education method only encourages children's laziness.
  • 助长。
    Guò dù de biǎo yáng kě néng huì zhù zhǎng tā de jiāo ào.
    Excessive praise might foster his arrogance.
  • 助长。
    Wǎng luò yáo yán huì zhù zhǎng shè huì de bù ān qíng xù.
    Online rumors can foment social unrest.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

助zhùhelp
长chánggrow

助 means help, and 长 means grow, so the sense is fostering growth.

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
力力lìstrong arm
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě助zhù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

助 pairs 力, a strong arm, with 且, which gives the sound; the meaning is help with strength.

Open 助 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →
Appears in
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