殖民主义 (zhí mín zhǔ yì) — colonialism

Definition

The political and economic system in which a powerful country settles in and controls other territories. It is the '-ism' (主义) form, naming the ideology and historical practice itself, not a specific colony.

noun
colonialism

Examples

  • ，殖民主义。
    Shí jiǔ shì jì, xǔ duō guó jiā zāo shòu le zhí mín zhǔ yì de yā pò.
    In the 19th century, many countries suffered from the oppression of colonialism.
  • 殖民主义。
    zhí mín zhǔ yì De lì shǐ yǐng xiǎng zhì jīn réng rán cún zài.
    The historical impact of colonialism still exists today.
  • 殖民主义。
    Xué zhě men zhèng zài yán jiū zhí mín zhǔ yì duì dāng dì wén huà de yǐng xiǎng.
    Scholars are studying the influence of colonialism on local cultures.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

殖民colonize
殖zhíraise民mínpeople
动宾Verb + object
主义-ism
主zhǔprincipal义yìprinciple
联合Side by side

殖民 means colonize; 主义 gives the sense of a doctrine or system, so it names colonialism.

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
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
直
直zhí殖zhí
Same sound today

殖 is built from 歹 and 直, with 歹 giving the meaning and 直 giving the sound.

Open 殖 →

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

The early form of 民 shows an eye pierced by a sharp cross-shaped implement, possibly linked to an injured or unclear eye.

Open 民 →

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

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →

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