抗寒 (kàng hán) — to resist cold, to be cold-resistant

Definition

A verb meaning 'to resist cold' — used for materials, plants, or bodies that can withstand low temperatures. Often negated as 抗不住 ('can't take the cold').

verb
to resist coldto be cold-resistant

Examples

  • 抗寒，。
    Zhè zhǒng cái liào hěn kàng hán, shì hé zuò dōng yī.
    This material is very cold-resistant, suitable for making winter clothes.
  • ，。
    Qù nián dōng tiān tā gǎn mào le hǎo jǐ cì, yīn wèi shēn tǐ kàng bú zhù hán.
    Last winter he caught cold several times because his body couldn't withstand the cold.
  • 。
    Tā zhī kàng le yí cì hán jiù shòu bù liǎo le.
    He could only withstand the cold once before he couldn't take it anymore.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

抗kàngresist
寒háncold

抗寒 uses 抗 resist and 寒 cold, meaning to withstand low temperatures.

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
亢
亢kàng抗kàng
Same sound today

抗 is made from 扌, a written form of 手 (hand), and 亢, which gives the sound.

Open 抗 →

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

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 人人rénperson
  • 茻茻mǎnggrass

寒 shows 宀 (house), 人 (person), and 茻 (grass): a person sleeping in grass inside a house to keep out the cold.

Open 寒 →

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