补贴 (bǔ tiē) — (verb) to subsidize; (noun) subsidy, allowance

Definition

补贴 (bǔ tiē) is 'subsidy / to subsidize' — money given by the state or an employer to lower costs or income. Nearer to 资助 (grant-style aid) than to 零花钱 (personal pocket money from family).

verb
to subsidize
noun
subsidyallowance

Examples

  • 补贴。
    Zhèng fǔ jué dìng bǔ tiē nóng yè.
    The government decided to subsidize agriculture.
  • 补贴。
    Tā měi yuè dōu yǒu yì bǐ zhù fáng bǔ tiē.
    She has a housing subsidy every month.
  • 补贴。
    Zhè xiàng bǔ tiē zhèng cè bāng zhù le dī shōu rù jiā tíng.
    This subsidy policy helped low-income families.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

补bǔmake up
贴tiēpay

Make up and pay combine to mean subsidize or a subsidy.

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 補; 补 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
甫
甫fǔ補bǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 補 shows 衤 (clothes) beside 甫, which gives the sound; the simplified 补 is a later shorthand, so its shape is not the historical breakdown.

Open 补 →

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 貼; 贴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn貼tiē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 貼 pairs 貝, a shell, with 占 as a sound part; the simplified 贴 is a later shorthand.

Open 贴 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Finance & Banking

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