增压 (zēng yā) — to boost pressure; to pressurize

Definition

Technical/engineering verb meaning 'to boost pressure' or 'pressurize' — used for engines, cabins, and pipelines. Split-able as 增了压.

verb

to boost pressureto pressurize

增压。
Zhè ge xì tǒng xū yào zēng yā cái néng zhèng cháng gōng zuò.
This system needs pressurization to work properly.
，。
Fā dòng jī yǐ jīng zēng le yā, kě yǐ qǐ dòng le.
The engine has been pressurized; it can be started now.
，增压。
Fēi jī zài gāo kōng fēi xíng shí, jī cāng huì zì dòng zēng yā.
When flying at high altitude, the cabin automatically pressurizes.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

压yāpressure

增 means increase, and 压 means pressure, so it is to raise pressure.

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.

土曾增

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

曾

Same sound today

增 uses 土 (earth) to show that things grow in earth or are built from earth, and uses 曾 for the sound. This gives the sense of adding or increasing.

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

厭土壓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔdust

Sound part声符shēngfú

厭

厭yàn壓yā

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Appears in