增速 (zēng sù) — to speed up, to accelerate | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

增速 (zēngsù) is the written/economic term for 'growth rate' or 'to accelerate' — common in reports. Use 加快 for everyday 'speed up'; 提速 is more physical, like trains.

verb

to speed upto accelerate

Examples

增速。
Gōng sī jué dìng zēng sù tóu zī.
The company decided to speed up investment.
增速，。
Liè chē tū rán zēng sù, chéng kè dōu zhàn bù wěn.
The train suddenly accelerated, and the passengers couldn't stand steady.
增速。
Xīn zhèng cè yǒu zhù yú zēng sù jīng jì zēng zhǎng.
The new policy helps accelerate economic growth.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

增zēngincrease

增速 pairs 增 'increase' with 速 'speed', meaning to make speed greater or a growth rate.

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.

土曾增

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.

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

辵辵chuò

Sound part声符shēngfú

束

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

速 pairs 辵, the walking part, with 束, which is used for its sound; the walking part fits the meaning of moving fast.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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