Definition
吞并 is a formal verb primarily used in geopolitical and business contexts to mean 'annex, take over by force or strategic acquisition.' It carries a nuance of predation or expansion, not neutral acquisition. You'll see it with nouns like 领土 (territory), 公司 (company), or 市场 (market). It can also be used metaphorically for 'swallowing up' something smaller, but it's less common in everyday speech.
v.
to annexto take over (territory, companies, etc.)
Examples
- 吞并。Nà ge guójiā shìtú tūn bìng lín guó de lǐngtǔ.That country attempted to annex its neighbor's territory.
- 吞并。Dà gōngsī chángcháng tūn bìng xiǎo qǐyè lái kuòdà shìchǎng.Big companies often take over small businesses to expand their market.
- 吞并。Zhè jiā gōngsī bèi jìngzhēng duìshǒu tūn bìng le.This company was swallowed up by a competitor.
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