缓释 (huǎn shì) — to release slowly; sustained release (of medication, nutrients, etc.)

Definition

A technical term for 'sustained release' — typically used for medication or fertilizer that releases its active ingredient slowly over time. Most common in pharmaceutical and agricultural contexts.

verb
to release slowlysustained release (of medication, nutrients, etc.)

Examples

  • 缓释。
    Zhè zhǒng yào wù zài tǐ nèi huǎn màn huǎn shì.
    This medicine is slowly released in the body.
  • ，缓释。
    Cǎi yòng xīn gōng yì hòu, féi liào zhōng de yǎng fèn néng gòu huǎn màn huǎn shì.
    After adopting the new process, the nutrients in the fertilizer can be slowly released.
  • ，缓释。
    Yī shēng gào sù wǒ, zhè zhǒng yào piàn huì zhú jiàn huǎn shì.
    The doctor told me that this pill will be gradually released.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

缓huǎnslow
释shìrelease

缓 means slow or gentle, and 释 means release; together they describe releasing something slowly.

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 緩; 缓 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk
Sound part声符shēngfú
爰
爰yuán緩huǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緩 pairs 糸 (silk) with 爰, which gives the sound; the simplified 缓 is a later shorthand.

Open 缓 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 釋; 释 is its simplified writing.

  • 釆釆biànto distinguish
  • 睪睪yìto release; to see

The traditional form 釋 puts 釆 (to distinguish) beside 睪, a part that gives the sound and means “to release; to see”; the simplified 释 is a later shortened shape.

Open 释 →

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