妨碍 (fáng ài) — to hinder; to obstruct; to interfere with | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to hinder or interfere with' (a process, order, progress). Unlike 耽误 (which focuses on wasting time) or 阻挡 (which implies physical or deliberate blocking), 妨碍 stresses impairing how something works.

verb

to hinderto obstructto interfere with

Examples

妨碍。
Qǐng bú yào fáng ài jiāo tōng zhì xù.
Please don't obstruct traffic order.
妨碍？
Zhè ge zhèng cè huì bú huì fáng ài jīng jì fā zhǎn?
Will this policy hinder economic development?
妨碍。
Dà shēng shuō huà huì fáng ài bié rén xiū xi.
Speaking loudly will disturb others' rest.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

碍àiobstruct

妨 and 碍 both point to blocking, giving the sense of hindering.

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.

女方妨

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

方

方fāng妨fáng

Same sound today

妨 pairs 女 (woman) with 方, which once meant taking up space, to show someone being blocked from approaching a woman.

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 礙; 碍 is its simplified writing.

石疑礙

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

疑

疑yí礙ài

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

The traditional form 礙 combines 石 (stone) with 疑 as a sound part.

Appears in

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