抗震 (kàng zhèn) — earthquake-resistant; anti-seismic; quake-proof… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used to describe buildings, structures, or materials designed to withstand earthquakes. In figurative political writing it can mean 'resisting tyranny.'

adjective

earthquake-resistantanti-seismicquake-proof(figurative) resistant to tyranny

Examples

抗震。
kàng zhèn Shè jì shǐ zhè zuò jiàn zhù gèng ān quán.
The earthquake-resistant design makes this building safer.
抗震。
Zhè ge dì qū de hěn duō fáng zi dōu yòng kàng zhèn cái liào jiàn zào de.
Many houses in this area are built with quake-proof materials.
抗震。
Xīn jì shù tí gāo le jiàn zhù de kàng zhèn xìng néng.
The new technology improves the building's anti-seismic performance.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

震zhènearthquake

抗震 uses 抗 resist and 震 earthquake, giving the sense of withstanding tremors.

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.

扌亢抗

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

雨辰震

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

辰

辰chén震zhèn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

震 combines 雨 (rain) with 辰 (chén), which gives the sound; 雨 is the part associated with the character’s meaning.

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