TongTong
Sign in

强制 (qiáng zhì) — to force, to compel

Definition

强制 (qiángzhì) is a transitive verb meaning to compel by authority or power, often in legal or institutional contexts (e.g. government, company). Stronger and more formal than 强迫, which implies personal pressure.

verb
to forceto compel

Examples

  • 强制。
    Zhèng fǔ bù néng qiáng zhì rén mín zuò bú yuàn yì zuò de shì.
    The government cannot force people to do things they are unwilling to do.
  • 强制。
    Gōng sī qiáng zhì yuán gōng jiā bān shì wéi fǎ de.
    It is illegal for a company to force employees to work overtime.
  • 强制。
    Tā qiáng zhì zì jǐ měi tiān xué xí liù gè xiǎo shí.
    He forces himself to study six hours every day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

强qiángforce
制zhìcontrol

制 (control) carried out with 强 (force), giving coercion.

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 強; 强 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 強 pairs an insect component with a sound component; this explains 強, not the simplified 强.

Open 强 →

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

The form 制 pairs 朱 (tree) with 刀 (knife), showing the act of cutting a tree.

Open 制 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Law & Justice

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