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发酵 (fā jiào) — to ferment (biochemical process); (fig.) to develop gradually; to simmer (of feelings, trends, ideas)

Definition

发酵 covers both literal fermentation (dough, wine) and figurative 'simmering' of feelings or trends. Closer to a biochemical process than 酝酿, which stresses brewing/deliberation in the abstract.

verb
to ferment (biochemical process)(fig.) to develop graduallyto simmer (of feelings, trends, ideas)

Examples

  • 发酵。
    Miàn tuán xū yào fā jiào jǐ gè xiǎo shí cái néng zuò miàn bāo.
    The dough needs to ferment for a few hours before it can be made into bread.
  • 发酵。
    Shè huì shàng de bù mǎn qíng xù zhèng zài fā jiào.
    The dissatisfaction in society is simmering.
  • 发酵，。
    Zhè ge jì huà hái zài fā jiào zhōng, hái méi què dìng.
    This plan is still developing and hasn't been finalized yet.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

发fāproduce
酵jiàofermentation

"发" contributes "produce" and "酵" contributes "fermentation", so 发酵 means to produce fermentation.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
孝
孝xiào酵jiào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酵 pairs 酉, a vessel for making drink, with 孝, which gives the sound; 孝’s ‘young + old’ parts also hint at aging in the vessel, as fermentation does.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Biology

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