Definition
同化 is a versatile verb that appears in social, biological, and linguistic contexts. In social and cultural settings it describes the process of absorbing a group or individual into a dominant culture until the original identity is lost. In biology it means to absorb and convert nutrients for the body's use. In linguistics it refers to a phonological process where a sound changes to become more similar to a neighboring sound — often called 'assimilation' or 'convergence' in English.
v.
to assimilate (into a dominant culture or system)(in linguistics) to undergo phonological assimilationto converge
Examples
- 同化。Yímín hěn nán wánquán bèi dāngdì wénhuà tóng huà.Immigrants find it hard to be fully assimilated into the local culture.
- 。Zhè liǎng ge yīn zài liándú shí huì tóng huà chéng yí ge yīn.These two sounds assimilate into one when linked in speech.
- 同化。Shēntǐ xūyào shíjiān tóng huà zhèxiē yíngyǎng wùzhì.The body needs time to assimilate these nutrients.
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