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增色 (zēng sè) — to add luster/color/beauty to (something), to enhance

Definition

增色 means to add brilliance or visual appeal to something — it focuses on making what already exists more impressive. Often used for performances, decorations, or events that elevate a setting.

verb
to add luster/color/beauty to (something)to enhance

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè chǎng yǎn chū wèi wǎn huì zēng le bù shǎo sè.
    This performance added a lot of luster to the evening party.
  • 增色。
    Zhè xiē xiān huā gěi tíng yuàn zēng sè bù shǎo.
    These fresh flowers added much beauty to the courtyard.
  • 增色。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng wèi huì yì zēng sè hěn duō.
    His speech added a lot of luster to the conference.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

增zēngadd
色sècolor

增 means add and 色 means color or luster; together they mean add beauty to something.

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
曾
曾céng增zēng
Same sound today

增 uses 土 (earth) to show that things grow in earth or are built from earth, and uses 曾 for the sound. This gives the sense of adding or increasing.

Open 增 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 爪爪zhuǎclaw; hand
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

色 pairs 爪 (a hand) with 卩 (a kneeling person), showing a hand pressing down on the kneeling person.

Open 色 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsAppearance

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