TongTong
Sign in

积累 (jī lěi) — to accumulate

Definition

To accumulate gradually over time, often of abstract things like experience, knowledge, or savings. Stronger and more literary than 积攒 (saving bit by bit); a more general verb than 积 (which also means to integrate in math).

verb
to accumulate

Examples

  • 积累。
    Tā zài gōng zuò zhōng nǔ lì jī lěi jīng yàn.
    He works hard to accumulate experience at work.
  • 积累。
    Měi tiān dú shū kě yǐ jī lěi gèng duō de zhī shi.
    Reading every day allows you to accumulate more knowledge.
  • 积累。
    Tā tōng guò cún qián jī lěi le bù shǎo qián.
    He accumulated quite a bit of money by saving.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

积jīaccumulate
累lèipile up

积 means to accumulate and 累 also means to pile up; together they mean gradual accumulation.

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 積; 积 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
責
責zé積jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 積 pairs 禾 (grain) with 責, which gives the sound; the simplified 积 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 积 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 累 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4HSK 2.0 Level 4Change & Process

Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.