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统治 (tǒng zhì) — to rule, to govern

Definition

统治 focuses on wielding political power over a country or people, often with a sense of duration or established control. Narrower than 治理 ('to manage/administer'), which is broader and applies to institutions, environments, or problems.

verb
to ruleto govern

Examples

  • 统治。
    Tā tǒng zhì zhè ge guó jiā yǐ jīng shí nián le.
    He has ruled this country for ten years.
  • 统治。
    Zhè ge wáng cháo tǒng zhì le sān bǎi duō nián.
    This dynasty ruled for over three hundred years.
  • 统治？
    Shuí néng tǒng zhì hǎo zhè ge guó jiā?
    Who can rule this country well?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

统tǒngrule
治zhìgovern

统 'rule' and 治 'govern' together mean governing a country.

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 統; 统 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
充
充chōng統tǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 統 uses 糸 as a meaning part and 充 as a sound part; the simplified 统 is a later shorthand, so this story is about 統, not about 统's parts.

Open 统 →

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
台
台tái治zhì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

治 has 水 (water) and 台; 台 gives the sound, and the character named a river.

Open 治 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 5Government & Politics5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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