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冷却 (lěng què) — to cool down, to cool (of temperature, emotion, or enthusiasm)

Definition

冷却 (lěngquè) is a more technical/formal verb for 'cool down' (temperature or emotion), unlike the everyday 降温 which is broader. Pairs with industrial processes (metal, equipment), not catching a cold.

verb
to cool downto cool (of temperature, emotion, or enthusiasm)

Examples

  • 冷却。
    Děng tāng lěng què yí huì r zài hē.
    Wait for the soup to cool a bit before drinking.
  • 冷却。
    Tā men zhī jiān de gǎn qíng yǐ jīng lěng què le.
    The feelings between them have cooled off.
  • 冷却。
    Jīn shǔ bì xū chōng fèn lěng què cái néng jiā gōng.
    The metal must cool completely before it can be processed.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

冷lěngcool
却quèretreat

冷 gives cooling, and 却 suggests heat retreating, so the word means to cool down.

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
冫Written in full as仌bīngice
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng冷lěng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

冷 uses 冫, the ice form, with 令 as a sound part, to mean cold as ice.

Open 冷 →

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 卻; 却 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
卩卩jié
Sound part声符shēngfú
𧮫
𧮫𧮫卻què
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 卻 uses 𧮫 for sound and 卩 for meaning; the simplified 却 is a shorthand.

Open 却 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Change & Process

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