生息 (shēng xī) — (finance) to bear interest; (formal, literary) to live, to exist, to propagate

Definition

A formal/literary word with two distinct senses: in finance, 'to bear interest'; more broadly (often 休养 or 繁衍生息), 'to live, grow, and propagate' — used in writing about ecosystems and populations.

verb
(finance) to bear interest(formal, literary) to liveto existto propagate
Easily confused

Examples

  • 生息。
    Zhè bǐ cún kuǎn měi nián dōu néng shēng xī.
    This deposit earns interest every year.
  • ，生息。
    Zài zhè piàn yuán shǐ sēn lín lǐ, wàn wù zì yóu shēng xī.
    In this primeval forest, all things live and multiply freely.
  • 。
    Wǒ men de zī jīn yǐ jīng shēng le yì xiē xī.
    Our funds have already earned some interest.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

生shēngbear
息xīinterest

“生” means bear or produce and “息” means interest, so together it means to bear interest.

Characters in this word

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

生 shows 屮 (a bud) above 一 (the ground), drawing a sprout coming up from the earth.

Open 生 →

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

In 息, 自 is nose and 心 is heart, showing breath or life passing through one's nose.

Open 息 →

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