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增强 (zēng qiáng) — to strengthen, to enhance

Definition

增强 means to strengthen or enhance an ability, quality, or effect (e.g. confidence, immunity). More focused on internal quality than 加强, which is broader 'to reinforce' (effort, cooperation).

verb
to strengthento enhance

Examples

  • 增强。
    Jiān chí duàn liàn néng zēng qiáng shēn tǐ de miǎn yì lì.
    Persistent exercise can strengthen the body's immunity.
  • 增强。
    Zhè cì jīng lì zēng qiáng le tā de zì xìn xīn.
    This experience strengthened his self-confidence.
  • 增强。
    Jiā qiáng hé zuò kě yǐ zēng qiáng shuāng fāng de xìn rèn.
    Strengthening cooperation can enhance mutual trust.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

增zēngincrease
强qiángstrong

The 增 means increase and 强 means strong, so together they mean make something stronger.

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
曾
曾céng增zēng
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.

Open 增 →

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 強; 强 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 強 pairs an insect component with a sound component; this explains 強, not the simplified 强.

Open 强 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Change & Process

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