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平复 (píng fù) — to calm down (of emotions, situations); to heal (of wounds, illnesses)

Definition

Used when emotions or a situation gradually settle and return to normal (心情, 局势), or when a wound has healed. Implies a return to a previous calm/healthy state, not just 'being calm'.

verb
to calm down (of emotions, situations)to heal (of wounds, illnesses)

Examples

  • 平复。
    Tā de xīn qíng màn màn píng fù le xià lái.
    His mood slowly calmed down.
  • 平复，。
    Shāng kǒu yǐ jīng wán quán píng fù le, bú yòng dān xīn.
    The wound has fully healed — no need to worry.
  • 平复。
    Hùn luàn de jú shì zài zhèng fǔ de nǔ lì xià zhú jiàn píng fù.
    The chaotic situation gradually calmed down under the government's efforts.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

平píngcalm
复fùrecover

平 (calm) and 复 (recover) work together to mean return to a calm or healed state.

Characters in this word

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

The origin is uncertain. One explanation combines 八 (division) and 亏 (exhaled air) to show smooth speech.

Open 平 →

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 復; 复 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 复 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (复习, 恢复) it is 復; in others (复印, 复杂) (答复, 反复) it is 複 or 覆.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
复
复fù復fù
Same sound today

The traditional form 復 combines 彳, a walking part, with 复, a sound part, to show walking back and forth.

Open 复 →
Appears in
Emotions & FeelingsIllness & Symptoms

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