滑坡 (huá pō) — landslide; (figurative, economics) decline, slump

Definition

Literally a landslide on a slope; in economics and politics it means a steady, worsening decline (in growth, reputation, etc.), stronger and more gradual than a sudden crash.

noun
landslide(figurative, economics) declineslump
Measure word · 次

Examples

  • 滑坡，。
    Nà cì bào yǔ dǎo zhì shān tǐ huá pō, yǎn mái le cūn zhuāng.
    That heavy rain caused a landslide that buried the village.
  • 滑坡。
    Jìn nián lái gāi guó de jīng jì huá pō yǐn qǐ le guó jì shè huì de guān zhù.
    In recent years, the country's economic slump has drawn international attention.
  • 滑坡。
    Wǒ men yīng dāng jǐng tì jīng jì huá pō de fēng xiǎn.
    We should be alert to the risk of economic decline.

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.

滑huáslide
坡pōslope

A 滑 slide down a 坡 slope means landslide, and also a steep economic decline.

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
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
骨
骨gǔ滑huá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

滑 pairs 水 (water) with 骨, which gives the sound.

Open 滑 →

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
土土tǔdirt
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí坡pō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

坡 combines 土, shown as dirt, with 皮, a part used for sound.

Open 坡 →

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