碾压 (niǎn yā) — to roll over and crush (with a roller or wheel); to overwhelm, to dominate decisively (in competition)

Definition

Literally 'to roll over and crush' (with a heavy roller); by extension used as a vivid metaphor for decisively dominating an opponent in competition — stronger and more graphic than 打败.

verb
to roll over and crush (with a roller or wheel)to overwhelmto dominate decisively (in competition)

Examples

  • 碾压。
    Zhè tái yā lù jī zhèng zài niǎn yā lù miàn.
    This road roller is flattening the road surface.
  • ，碾压。
    Zài jué sài zhōng, tā men yǐ jué duì yōu shì niǎn yā le duì shǒu.
    In the finals, they crushed their opponents with an absolute advantage.
  • 碾压。
    Xīn jì shù de niǎn yā shì fā zhǎn ràng lǎo qǐ yè nán yǐ zhāo jià.
    The overwhelming development of new technology made it hard for old companies to cope.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

碾niǎnroll/crush
压yāpress

碾 gives the rolling action and 压 adds the pressing action, together meaning to crush by rolling over.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 碾 →

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔdust
Sound part声符shēngfú
厭
厭yàn壓yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Open 压 →

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