压榨 (yā zhà) — to press, to squeeze (for juice, oil, etc.); to…

Definition

Two senses: physically pressing out juice/oil (e.g. 压榨花生油), and figuratively exploiting people for profit. Closer to 剥削 than to neutral 挤 or 压.

verb

to pressto squeeze (for juice, oil, etc.)to exploitto squeeze (people, labor)

压榨。
Nóng mín yòng chuán tǒng fāng fǎ yā zhà huā shēng yóu.
Farmers use traditional methods to press peanut oil.
压榨。
Yǒu xiē lǎo bǎn wèi le lì rùn bú duàn yā zhà yuán gōng.
Some bosses constantly squeeze employees for profit.
压榨。
Zhèng fǔ yīng gāi tíng zhǐ yā zhà zhōng xiǎo qǐ yè.
The government should stop squeezing small and medium enterprises.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

压 (press) and 榨 (squeeze) combine to mean pressing out juice or, figuratively, squeezing people.

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

厭土壓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔdust

Sound part声符shēngfú

厭

厭yàn壓yā

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

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

木窄榨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

窄

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

榨 pairs 木 (tree) with 窄 (tight); 窄 gives it its sound.

Appears in