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陶冶 (táo yě) — (fig.) to cultivate, to refine (one's character, taste, temperament, etc.)

Definition

陶冶 is a formal/literary verb meaning to refine one's character or temperament through aesthetic or cultural exposure — more elevated than the everyday 培养, and emphasizing passive shaping rather than deliberate training.

verb
(fig.) to cultivateto refine (one's character, taste, temperament, etc.)

Examples

  • 陶冶。
    Duō dú gǔ diǎn shī cí kě yǐ táo yě qíng cāo.
    Reading more classical poetry can cultivate your character.
  • 陶冶。
    Tā měi tiān tán yì xiǎo shí gǔ qín lái táo yě xìng qíng.
    She plays the guqin for an hour every day to refine her temperament.
  • 陶冶。
    Dà zì rán de měi jǐng zuì néng táo yě rén de xīn líng.
    The beauty of nature best cultivates one's soul.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

陶táopottery
冶yěsmelt metal

陶 and 冶 refer to shaping pottery and smelting metal, so together they suggest refining character.

Characters in this word

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

  • 阜阜fùmound of dirt
  • 勹勹bāotwo people
  • 土土tǔearth

The oldest 陶 paired 阜 (mound of dirt) with 勹 (two people) and 土 (earth), showing digging; the parts below 勹 later changed.

Open 陶 →

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

The shape of 冶 comes from parts showing metal being cast: 呂 metal ingots, 刀 a ladle, and 口 a decorative part. In 冶, the ingots became 冫, and 刀 and 口 merged into 台.

Open 冶 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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