忍受 (rěn shòu) — to bear; to endure

Definition

忍受 is a workhorse verb meaning 'to bear, to endure' (pain, pressure, unfairness). It is more general and slightly stronger than 忍, and more neutral than 经受, which emphasizes going through hardship or a test.

verb
to bearto endure

Examples

  • 忍受
    Tā wú fǎ rěn shòu zhè yàng de bù gōng píng.
    He cannot endure such injustice.
  • 忍受
    Cháng qī rěn shòu zào yīn huì yǐng xiǎng jiàn kāng.
    Long-term exposure to noise can affect health.
  • 忍受
    Tā rěn shòu zhe jù dà de yā lì wán chéng le rèn wu.
    She completed the task while enduring enormous pressure.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

rěnendure

'忍' means to endure and '受' also carries a sense of bearing, so it means to bear patiently.

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
xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
rènrěn
Same sound today

忍 combines 心 (heart) and 刃 (blade). The 刃 part provides the sound, and the 心 part is the heart.

Open 忍 →

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

受 possibly combines 爪 and 又 as hands with 舟 as a boat, to show handing something over.

Open 受 →

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