膨胀 (péng zhàng) — to expand; to inflate; to swell | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Used for both physical swelling (injured limbs, heated air) and figurative expansion (prices, ego). 比扩张/扩充 more physical or abstract-internal; those extend outward in scope or scale.

verb

to expandto inflateto swell

Examples

膨胀，。
Rè kōng qì huì péng zhàng, suǒ yǐ qì qiú néng fēi qǐ lái.
Hot air expands, so balloons can float up.
膨胀。
Zhè jǐ nián wù jià péng zhàng dé hěn kuài.
Prices have inflated quickly in recent years.
膨胀。
Tā de tuǐ shòu shāng hòu péng zhàng dé hěn lì hài.
His leg swelled badly after the injury.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

膨 and 胀 both suggest swelling, so the word describes expanding or inflating.

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

肉肉ròumeat; flesh

Sound part声符shēngfú

彭

彭péng膨péng

Same sound today

膨 combines 肉 (meat; flesh) with 彭, which gives the pronunciation.

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 脹; 胀 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

⺼Written in full as肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

長

長cháng脹zhàng

Same sound today

The traditional form 脹 pairs ⺼ (meat) with 長, which gives the sound; this note is about 脹, not 胀.

Appears in

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