挤出 (jǐ chū) — squeeze out (literally or figuratively)

Definition

Literally 'squeeze out' (paste from a tube), and figuratively 'carve out' time or energy from a busy schedule. The object is something extracted, not a person pushed aside.

verb
squeeze out (literally or figuratively)

Examples

  • 挤出。
    Tā měi tiān jǐ chū bàn gè xiǎo shí lái duàn liàn.
    He squeezes out half an hour every day to exercise.
  • 挤出。
    Nǐ bì xū jǐ chū yì diǎn shí jiān péi wǒ.
    You must squeeze out some time to accompany me.
  • 挤出。
    Tā cóng guǎn zi lǐ jǐ chū yī xiǎo duàn yá gāo.
    She squeezed out a small piece of toothpaste from the tube.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

挤jǐsqueeze
出chūout

挤 (squeeze) and 出 (out) combine to mean squeezing something 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 擠; 挤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
齊
齊qí擠jǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 擠 pairs 扌 (hand) with 齊, a sound part; the simplified 挤 is a later shorthand.

Open 挤 →

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

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Open 出 →

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