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积攒 (jī zǎn) — to accumulate gradually, to save up bit by bit

Definition

积攒 stresses saving small amounts bit by bit, usually money or things (stamps, experience). 攒 alone and 积蓄 lean more toward saving money; 积累 and 累积 are more general accumulation (knowledge, wealth, data).

verb
to accumulate graduallyto save up bit by bit

Examples

  • 积攒。
    Tā yòng le shí nián shí jiān jī zǎn le yì bǐ cái fù.
    He used ten years to accumulate a fortune.
  • ，积攒。
    Tōng guò měi tiān yuè dú, tā jī zǎn le hěn duō zhī shi.
    Through daily reading, she accumulated a lot of knowledge.
  • 积攒。
    Zhè xiē yóu piào shì tā cóng xiǎo jī zǎn qǐ lái de.
    These stamps are what he accumulated since childhood.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

积jīpile up
攒zǎnsave up

积 (pile up) and 攒 (save up) together mean accumulate bit by bit.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 積; 积 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
禾禾hé
Sound part声符shēngfú
責
責zé積jī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 積 pairs 禾 (grain) with 責, which gives the sound; the simplified 积 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 积 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 攒 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Change & Process

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