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研发 (yán fā) — to research and develop; to develop (new products or technology)

Definition

研发 (yán fā) means 'research and develop' (R&D), focusing on creating new products or technology. Compared with 研制, it emphasizes the development stage; 调研 is about research/investigation, not making things.

verb
to research and developto develop (new products or technology)

Examples

  • 研发。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī měi nián tóu rù dà liàng zī jīn jìn xíng yán fā.
    This company invests a large amount of funds every year to carry out R&D.
  • 研发。
    Tā men zhèng zài yán fā yì zhǒng xīn xíng cái liào.
    They are developing a new type of material.
  • 研发。
    yán fā Tuán duì xū yào gèng duō de gōng chéng shī.
    The R&D team needs more engineers.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

研yánresearch; study
发fādevelop; send out

“研发” joins “研” (research) and “发” (develop), meaning research and development.

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
石石shí
Sound part声符shēngfú
幵
幵jiān研yán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 研, the left part 石 is a stone-related component, and the right part 幵 gives the sound.

Open 研 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Technology & Engineering

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