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通货膨胀 (tōng huò péng zhàng) — inflation

Definition

phrase
inflation

Examples

  • 通货膨胀。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài cǎi qǔ cuò shī kòng zhì tōng huò péng zhàng.
    The government is taking measures to control inflation.
  • 通货膨胀。
    Jīn nián de tōng huò péng zhàng lǜ bǐ qù nián dī.
    This year's inflation rate is lower than last year's.
  • 通货膨胀。
    tōng huò péng zhàng Huì yǐng xiǎng měi gè rén de shēng huó chéng běn.
    Inflation affects everyone's cost of living.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

通货currency
通tōngcirculate货huògoods
偏正Modifier + head
膨胀swell
膨péngswell胀zhàngexpand
联合Coordinate

通货, circulating money, and 膨胀, swelling, combine to describe money expanding into inflation.

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
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng通tōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

通 pairs 辶, a part associated with movement, with 甬, which gives the sound.

Open 通 →

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 貨; 货 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell, money
Sound part声符shēngfú
化
化huà貨huò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 貨 pairs 化 (sound) with 貝 (shell, money) to write valuable goods; the simplified 货 is a shorthand.

Open 货 →

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
肉肉ròumeat; flesh
Sound part声符shēngfú
彭
彭péng膨péng
Same sound today

膨 combines 肉 (meat; flesh) with 彭, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 膨 →

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 脹; 胀 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
長
長cháng脹zhàng
Same sound today

The traditional form 脹 pairs ⺼ (meat) with 長, which gives the sound; this note is about 脹, not 胀.

Open 胀 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Economy & Trade

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.