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淡化 (dàn huà) — to downplay, to trivialize, to weaken (an issue, memory, importance, etc.); to desalinate, to remove salt from (seawater)

Definition

淡化 covers two senses: 'to downplay / trivialize' (an issue or one's own role), and literally 'to desalinate' water. Versus 减弱/削弱, it focuses on making something less prominent rather than reducing its strength.

verb
to downplayto trivializeto weaken (an issue, memory, importance, etc.)to desalinateto remove salt from (seawater)

Examples

  • ，淡化。
    Tā hěn qiān xū, zǒng shì dàn huà zì jǐ de nǔ lì.
    He is very modest, always downplaying his own efforts.
  • 淡化。
    Zhè ge chéng shì yòng dàn huà jì shù jiě jué yòng shuǐ wèn tí.
    This city uses desalination technology to solve its water supply problem.
  • ，淡化。
    Shí jiān jiǔ le, jiù de huí yì huì zhú jiàn dàn huà.
    As time passes, old memories gradually fade.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

淡dànweak
化huàmake

淡 means weak or without salt; 淡化 is to make something weak, dilute it, or remove salt.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
炎
炎yán淡dàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

淡 puts 氵 (water) beside 炎, which gives the sound yán.

Open 淡 →

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

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

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.