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权势 (quán shì) — power and influence; clout

Definition

Noun for 'power and influence' in a political or social sense, especially the kind that commands fear or control. Stronger and more formal than 权力 (authority/rights); implies actual leverage rather than formal right.

noun
power and influenceclout

Examples

  • 权势，。
    Tā de quán shì hěn dà, dà jiā dōu pà tā.
    His power and influence is great; everyone is afraid of him.
  • 权势。
    Zhè ge jiā zú de quán shì kòng zhì le hěn duō háng yè.
    This family's power and influence controls many industries.
  • 权势。
    Tā lì yòng quán shì dé dào le hěn duō hǎo chù.
    He used his power and influence to get many benefits.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

权quánpower
势shìinfluence

权 denotes power and 势 denotes influence, together meaning power and clout.

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 權; 权 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
雚
雚guàn權quán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 權 shows 木, a tree, with 雚 giving the sound; it named a kind of tree and was used for a standard weight. The simplified 权 is a later shorthand, not the historical shape.

Open 权 →

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 勢; 势 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì勢shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 勢 combines 力, meaning power, with 埶 for the sound. The simplified 势 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 势 →
Appears in
Government & Politics

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