引申 (yǐn shēn) — to extend (the meaning of a word, an analogy, etc.); derivation (of a new sense from an original one)

Definition

Examples

• 这个词的本义是“太阳”，后来引申出“日子”的意思。
  Zhè ge cí de běn yì shì "tài yáng", hòu lái yǐn shēn chū "rì zi" de yì si.
  The original meaning of this word is 'sun', and later it extended to mean 'day'.
• 在语义学中，引申是词义变化的重要方式之一。
  Zài yǔ yì xué zhōng, yǐn shēn shì cí yì biàn huà de zhòng yào fāng shì zhī yī.
  In semantics, extension is one of the important ways word meanings change.
• “心”从指心脏引申出“内心”“中心”等抽象含义。
  "Xīn" cóng zhǐ xīn zàng yǐn shēn chū "nèi xīn" "zhōng xīn" děng chōu xiàng hán yì.
  The word 'heart' extended from referring to the physical organ to abstract meanings like 'inner feelings' and 'center'.

Origin