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榨取 (zhà qǔ) — to squeeze out (liquid) by pressing or crushing; to exploit, to extort (resources, money, labor)

Definition

Literally 'squeeze out': the physical sense is pressing a liquid from something (oil, juice), while the figurative sense means exploiting or extorting resources, money, or labor.

verb
to squeeze out (liquid) by pressing or crushingto exploitto extort (resources, money, labor)

Examples

  • 榨取。
    Zhè tái jī qì yòng lái zhà qǔ gǎn lǎn yóu.
    This machine is used to squeeze out olive oil.
  • 榨取。
    Zī běn jiā tōng guò yán cháng gōng shí zhà qǔ gōng rén de shèng yú jià zhí.
    Capitalists exploit workers' surplus value by extending working hours.
  • 榨取。
    Fǔ bài guān yuán lì yòng zhí quán zhà qǔ mín zhī mín gāo.
    Corrupt officials use their power to extort the people's hard-earned wealth.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

榨zhàsqueeze
取qǔtake

榨 and 取 both contribute the idea of extracting, together meaning to squeeze out or exploit.

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
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
窄
窄zhǎi榨zhà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

榨 pairs 木 (tree) with 窄 (tight); 窄 gives it its sound.

Open 榨 →

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

取 pairs 又 (hand) with 耳 (ear), showing a hand taking an ear, as in taking the ear of fallen prey.

Open 取 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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