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强调 (qiáng diào) — to emphasize, to stress

Definition

强调 means 'to emphasize' — focused on underlining a point through words. 注重 is about paying attention to something over time; 突出 is closer to 'highlight' (making it stand out).

verb
to emphasizeto stress

Examples

  • 强调。
    Fù mǔ zǒng shì qiáng diào ān quán de zhòng yào xìng.
    Parents always emphasize the importance of safety.
  • 强调？
    Zhè ge wèn tí xū yào qiáng diào jǐ cì?
    How many times does this issue need to be emphasized?
  • 强调。
    Tā zài huì yì shàng qiáng diào le hé zuò de yì yì.
    He emphasized the significance of cooperation at the meeting.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

强qiángstrong
调tiáotone

强 gives strength, and 调 refers to tone or wording, together giving the sense of stressing something.

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.

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 →

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 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Communication & Speech

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