催化 (cuī huà) — (chemistry) to catalyze

Definition

A chemistry verb meaning to speed up a reaction without being consumed, via a 催化剂 (catalyst). Distinguish from the noun sense used in social/economic contexts ("to catalyze/drive change"), which is the figurative extension of this core meaning.

verb
(chemistry) to catalyze

Examples

  • 催化。
    Zhè zhǒng cuī huà jì kě yǐ cuī huà yǒu hài qì tǐ de fēn jiě.
    This catalyst can catalyze the decomposition of harmful gases.
  • 催化。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū rú hé gèng gāo xiào dì cuī huà zhè ge fǎn yìng.
    Scientists are studying how to catalyze this reaction more efficiently.
  • 催化。
    Wēn dù duì cuī huà xiào guǒ yǒu hěn dà yǐng xiǎng.
    Temperature has a great influence on the catalytic effect.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

催cuīhasten
化huàchange

催 hastens and 化 means change; the word is to hasten a chemical change.

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
崔
崔cuī催cuī
Same sound today

催 combines 亻, the person part, with 崔, which gives the sound.

Open 催 →

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →

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