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气压 (qì yā) — atmospheric pressure, barometric pressure

Definition

气压 is specifically atmospheric pressure — the physical force of the air around us, used in weather and aviation contexts. Unlike 压力, it refers only to this physical/technical measurement, not mental or abstract pressure.

noun
atmospheric pressurebarometric pressure

Examples

  • 气压，。
    Míng tiān de qì yā huì shēng gāo, tiān qì yīng gāi bú cuò.
    Tomorrow the atmospheric pressure will rise, so the weather should be fine.
  • 气压。
    Fēi jī qǐ fēi shí xū yào cān kǎo jī cāng nèi wài de qì yā.
    When an airplane takes off, it needs to reference the air pressure inside and outside the cabin.
  • 气压。
    Gāo yā guō tōng guò tí gāo qì yā lái jiā kuài pēng rèn sù dù.
    A pressure cooker speeds up cooking by increasing the air pressure.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

气qìair
压yāpressure

气 'air' and 压 'pressure' combine to mean the pressure of the air.

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 氣; 气 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
气
气qì氣qì
Same sound today

The traditional form 氣 pairs 米 (rice) with 气, which supplies the sound; the simplified 气 is a later abbreviation.

Open 气 →

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔdust
Sound part声符shēngfú
厭
厭yàn壓yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Open 压 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Physics & Chemistry

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