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帝国主义 (dì guó zhǔ yì) — imperialism

Definition

noun
imperialism

Examples

  • 帝国主义。
    dì guó zhǔ yì Shì yì zhǒng tōng guò kuò zhāng hé qīn lüè lái tǒng zhì qí tā guó jiā de zhèng cè.
    Imperialism is a policy of dominating other countries through expansion and aggression.
  • ，帝国主义，。
    Shí jiǔ shì jì, xǔ duō ōu zhōu guó jiā tuī xíng dì guó zhǔ yì zhèng cè, zhàn lǐng le fēi zhōu hé yà zhōu de lǐng tǔ.
    In the 19th century, many European countries pursued imperialism and occupied territories in Africa and Asia.
  • ，帝国主义。
    Zhè xiē guó jiā de rén mín jīng guò cháng qī dòu zhēng, zhōng yú bǎi tuō le dì guó zhǔ yì de yā pò.
    After long struggles, the people of these countries finally threw off the oppression of imperialism.

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.

帝国empire
帝dìemperor国guóstate
偏正Modifier + head
主义doctrine
主zhǔprincipal义yìprinciple
偏正Modifier + head

帝国 (empire) + 主义 (doctrine): the doctrine of an empire.

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
丄丄shàngup; above
Sound part声符shēngfú
朿
朿cì帝dì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

帝 originally drew a flower calyx, the part joining blossom to stem. The 丄 and 朿 breakdown is mistaken.

Open 帝 →

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The old forms that became 主 showed a lamp or torch with a flame at the top; other forms showed wood on fire or a spirit tablet.

Open 主 →

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 義; 义 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
羊羊yáng
Sound part声符shēngfú
我
我wǒ義yì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 義 has 我 giving the sound and 羊 meaning good or auspicious; the simplified 义 is a later abbreviation.

Open 义 →
Appears in
Government & Politics

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