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影响 (yǐng xiǎng) — to influence, to affect; influence, effect

Definition

影响 is the everyday word for 'to influence / to affect' and the resulting 'influence' itself. 作用 names a function or effect (often scientific), while 效果 is the outcome or result of something. None of these is as strong or as adverse-leaning as 影响.

to influenceto affectinfluenceeffect
Measure word · 股

Examples

  • 影响。
    Jīn tiān xià yǔ yǐng xiǎng le wǒ de xīn qíng.
    The rain today affected my mood.
  • 影响。
    Zhè ge xīn wén duì dà jiā yǒu hěn dà de yǐng xiǎng.
    This news has a big influence on everyone.
  • 影响。
    Tā de jiàn yì yǐng xiǎng le wǒ de jué dìng.
    His suggestion influenced my decision.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

影yǐngshadow
响xiǎngecho

影 suggests a shadow, and 响 suggests an echo; together they picture something that leaves a trace and an effect.

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
景
景jǐng影yǐng
Same sound today

影 pairs 景, which gives the sound and also carries the idea of image, with 彡, the part that points to shadow.

Open 影 →

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 響; 响 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
音音yīnsound
Sound part声符shēngfú
鄉
鄉xiāng響xiǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 響 pairs 音, meaning sound, with 鄉 to give its pronunciation. The simplified 响 is a later shorthand, so its visible parts are not the historical parts.

Open 响 →

Grammar

Appears in
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