抵押 (dǐ yā) — to mortgage; to put up as collateral; to provide (an asset) as security for a loan

Definition

A formal/legal verb for pledging property as security for a loan. Unlike 押 (which also means pawn or detain), 抵押 focuses specifically on using an asset as loan collateral.

verb
to mortgageto put up as collateralto provide (an asset) as security for a loan

Examples

  • 抵押。
    Tā bǎ zì jǐ de fáng zi dǐ yā gěi le yín háng.
    He mortgaged his own house to the bank.
  • 抵押。
    Zhè bǐ dài kuǎn yòng tǔ dì dǐ yā.
    This loan is secured by land.
  • 抵押？
    Nǐ xū yào dǐ yā shén me cái néng jiè kuǎn?
    What do you need to put up as collateral to get a loan?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

抵dǐpledge
押yāpawn

抵 (pledge) and 押 (pawn) join to mean putting up something as security.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
氐
氐dī抵
Same sound today

抵 pairs 手 (hand) with 氐, which gives its sound.

Open 抵 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
甲
甲jiǎ押yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

押 pairs 扌, a hand, with 甲, which gives the sound.

Open 押 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Finance & Banking

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