国际化 (guó jì huà) — to internationalize

Definition

A verb–noun formation (国家 + 际 + 化) meaning 'to internationalize' — to make something (a business, brand, product) operate across many countries. The suffix 化 turns the noun 国际化 into a process/action.

verb
to internationalize

Examples

  • 国际化。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī zhèng zài guó jì huà tā de yè wù.
    This company is internationalizing its business.
  • 国际化。
    Wǒ men xū yào guó jì huà wǒ men de pǐn pái.
    We need to internationalize our brand.
  • 国际化。
    Tā men jì huà guó jì huà zhěng gè chǎn pǐn xiàn.
    They plan to internationalize the entire product line.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

国际international
国guócountry际jìbetween
偏正Modifier + head
化huàmake or become

国 means country and 际 means between, giving international; 化 brings the sense of making or becoming.

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 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

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 際; 际 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
祭
祭jì際⁰jì
Same sound today

The traditional form 際 pairs 阝 with 祭: 阝 gives the meaning and 祭 gives the sound. The simplified 际 is a later shorthand.

Open 际 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →

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