私有化 (sī yǒu huà) — (noun) privatization; (verb) to privatize

Definition

Used in economics and policy contexts for converting state-owned assets to private ownership — both as the noun 'privatization' and the verb 'to privatize'. Typically appears in formal writing or news, not casual speech.

noun
privatization
verb
to privatize

Examples

  • 私有化。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī bèi sī yǒu huà le.
    This company has been privatized.
  • 私有化。
    Zhèng fǔ zhèng zài tǎo lùn sī yǒu huà de wèn tí.
    The government is discussing the issue of privatization.
  • 私有化，。
    sī yǒu huà Zhī hòu, qǐ yè de xiào lǜ tí gāo le.
    After privatization, the company's efficiency improved.

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.

私有private ownership
私sīprivate有yǒuown
偏正Modifier + head
化huàturn into

私有 means private ownership, and 化 gives the sense of turning something into that state.

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
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
厶
厶sī私sī
Same sound today

私 combines 禾 and 厶; 厶 originally represented the word, and 禾 was added later.

Open 私 →

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
肉肉ròumeat
Sound part声符shēngfú
又
又yòu有yǒu
Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

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 →

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