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抵消 (dǐ xiāo) — to counteract, to offset, to cancel out

Definition

抵消 means two opposing forces or amounts cancel each other out, leaving a neutral result. Unlike 注销 (which formally cancels an account or registration) or 烘托 (which highlights by contrast), 抵消 neutralizes rather than removes or emphasizes.

verb
to counteractto offsetto cancel out

Examples

  • 抵消。
    Zhè liǎng bǐ fèi yòng kě yǐ hù xiāng dǐ xiāo.
    These two expenses can offset each other.
  • 抵消。
    Tā dào qiàn de chéng yì dǐ xiāo le duì fāng de nù qì.
    The sincerity of his apology offset the other person's anger.
  • 抵消。
    Duō chī shū cài néng dǐ xiāo gāo rè liàng shí wù dài lái de yǐng xiǎng.
    Eating more vegetables can counteract the effects of high-calorie foods.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

抵dǐcounteract
消xiāodisappear

抵 means to counteract, and 消 means to disappear: to cancel out.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
肖
肖xiào消xiāo
Same sound today

消 has 氵 (water) beside 肖. The water part connects to putting out or making something vanish, and 肖 gives the sound.

Open 消 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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