TongTong
Sign in

吸纳 (xī nà) — to absorb; to take in (liquid, knowledge, nutrients, etc.); to admit; to accept (members, capital, funds, etc.)

Definition

Literacy/written verb meaning to absorb or admit (funds, members, talent). For abstract learning/lessons use 吸取 or 汲取; for recruiting after selection use 录取 or 接纳.

verb
to absorbto take in (liquid, knowledge, nutrients, etc.)to admitto accept (members, capital, funds, etc.)

Examples

  • 吸纳。
    Zhè zhǒng cái liào kě yǐ xī nà dà liàng shuǐ fèn bìng huǎn màn shì fàng.
    This kind of material can absorb a large amount of water and release it slowly.
  • 吸纳。
    Gōng sī jì huà míng nián xī nà wǔ shí míng yōu xiù gōng chéng shī.
    The company plans to admit fifty outstanding engineers next year.
  • 吸纳。
    Jī jīn tōng guò duō zhǒng qú dào xī nà shè huì zī běn.
    The fund absorbs social capital through multiple channels.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

吸xīabsorb
纳nàtake in

吸 and 纳 both express taking in, so together they mean absorb or admit.

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
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí吸xī
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

吸 pairs 口 (mouth) with 及, which gives the sound and relates to grabbing, so the shape suggests grabbing through the mouth.

Open 吸 →

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 納; 纳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìsilk, thin thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
内
内nèi納nà
Same sound today

The traditional form 納 has 糸 (silk, thin thread) and 内, which gives the sound; the simplified 纳 is a shorthand.

Open 纳 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.