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压倒 (yā dǎo) — to overwhelm, to overpower

Definition

压倒 is a transitive verb meaning 'to overwhelm / overpower' one side decisively — a vote, opponent, or doubt is decisively beaten. Unlike 打败 (winning a contest) or 压迫 (suppressing people), it stresses total superiority, not suppression.

verb
to overwhelmto overpower

Examples

  • ，压倒。
    Zài bǐ sài zhōng, tā yā dǎo le suǒ yǒu duì shǒu.
    In the competition, he overwhelmed all opponents.
  • 压倒。
    Tā de rè qíng yā dǎo le wǒ de yóu yù.
    Her enthusiasm overwhelmed my hesitation.
  • 压倒。
    Zhè ge guān diǎn yā dǎo le qí tā suǒ yǒu yì jiàn.
    This viewpoint overwhelmed all other opinions.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

压yāpress
倒dǎofall down

压 (press) + 倒 (fall down) gives the sense of overwhelming.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔdust
Sound part声符shēngfú
厭
厭yàn壓yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Open 压 →

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rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
到
到dào倒dào
Same sound today

倒 combines 亻 (person) with 到, which gives the sound.

Open 倒 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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