弛缓 (chí huǎn) — to relax; to ease; to slacken

Definition

verb
to relaxto easeto slacken
Easily confused

Examples

  • 弛缓。
    Yùn dòng hòu jī ròu huì biàn de chí huǎn.
    After exercise, the muscles will relax.
  • 弛缓。
    Jǐn zhāng de qì fen zhú jiàn chí huǎn le xià lái.
    The tense atmosphere gradually eased.
  • 弛缓。
    Shuāng fāng de guān xì kāi shǐ chí huǎn le.
    The relationship between the two sides began to relax.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

弛chíloosen
缓huǎnrelaxed

弛 means to loosen, and 缓 means slow or relaxed, together meaning to ease.

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
弓弓gōng
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě弛chí
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

弛 combines 弓, a bow, with 也 to give its sound.

Open 弛 →

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 緩; 缓 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
爰
爰yuán緩huǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緩 pairs 糸 (silk) with 爰, which gives the sound; the simplified 缓 is a later shorthand.

Open 缓 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.