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催化剂 (cuī huà jì) — (chemistry) catalyst; catalyst (something that speeds up development or change)

Definition

Literally 'catalyst,' used both for a chemistry agent and, more often at this level, metaphorically for something that accelerates change or reform.

noun
(chemistry) catalystcatalyst (something that speeds up development or change)
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 催化剂。
    Zhè zhǒng huà xué fǎn yìng xū yào cuī huà jì cái néng fā shēng.
    This chemical reaction requires a catalyst to occur.
  • 催化剂。
    Tā de jiǎng huà chéng le gǎi gé de cuī huà jì.
    His speech became a catalyst for reform.
  • 催化剂。
    Xīn de zhèng cè shì jīng jì fù sū de cuī huà jì.
    The new policy is a catalyst for economic recovery.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

催化speed a change
催cuīurge化huàchange
动宾Verb + object
剂jìagent

催化 speeds a change, and 剂 names an agent that brings it about.

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 →

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 劑; 剂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí劑jì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 劑, 齊 gives the sound and 刂 (刀, a knife) shows the meaning. The simplified 剂 is a later shorthand.

Open 剂 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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