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抑制 (yì zhì) — to suppress; to inhibit; to keep down

Definition

抑制 covers both holding back emotions (anger, urges) and checking a process (growth, spread, inflation). Against the HSK7 siblings, it is the neutral everyday term — less forceful than 压制 (stifle) and less institutional than 取缔 (ban by authority).

verb
to suppressto inhibitto keep down
Easily confused

Examples

  • 抑制。
    Zhè zhǒng yào kě yǐ yì zhì bìng dú de kuò sàn.
    This medicine can inhibit the spread of the virus.
  • 抑制。
    Tā wú fǎ yì zhì zì jǐ de fèn nù.
    He couldn't suppress his anger.
  • 抑制。
    Zhèng fǔ xū yào yì zhì tōng huò péng zhàng.
    The government needs to suppress inflation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

抑yìrestrain
制zhìcontrol

抑 and 制 both carry restraining or controlling force, together giving suppress.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

抑 shows a hand pressing down on a kneeling person, giving the sense of press or restrain.

Open 抑 →

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 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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