抬高 (tái gāo) — to raise, to lift up (prices, objects, etc.); to flatter, to boost (someone's status or reputation)

Definition

Two senses share one verb: physically or commercially 'raise' (a price, an object) versus figuratively 'praise, boost' someone — usually in the sense of puffing them up beyond reality.

verb
to raiseto lift up (prices, objects, etc.)to flatterto boost (someone's status or reputation)

Examples

  • 抬高。
    Gōng sī jué dìng tái gāo chǎn pǐn de jià gé.
    The company decided to raise the price of the product.
  • 抬高。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan zài lǐng dǎo miàn qián tái gāo zì jǐ.
    He always likes to boost himself in front of the leader.
  • 抬高，。
    Bié tái gāo tā le, tā méi nà me lì hài.
    Don't flatter him; he's not that capable.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

抬táilift
高gāohigh

抬 lifts and 高 shows something becomes higher, so the action raises it.

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shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
台
台tái抬tái
Same sound today

In 抬, the 扌 part relates to the hand, and 台 gives the sound.

Open 抬 →

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

高 was drawn as a tall building.

Open 高 →

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