触及 (chù jí) — to touch upon, to involve (a sensitive topic or issue)

Definition

触及 is a formal written verb meaning to touch, reach, or affect something (often sensitive, abstract, or far-reaching) — stronger than 涉及 and more concrete than 影响. Common in journalism, law, and academic prose, not everyday speech.

verb
to touch uponto involve (a sensitive topic or issue)

Examples

  • 触及。
    Tā de huà chù jí le wèn tí de běn zhì.
    His words touched upon the essence of the problem.
  • 触及。
    Zhè jiàn shì chù jí dào le hěn duō rén de lì yì.
    This matter has affected many people's interests.
  • 触及。
    Tǎo lùn zhōng tā shǐ zhōng bù gǎn chù jí nà ge mǐn gǎn huà tí.
    Throughout the discussion, he never dared to touch upon that sensitive topic.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

触chùtouch
及jíreach

触 means touch and 及 means reach, so the word describes touching and reaching a topic.

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 觸; 触 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
角角jiǎo
Sound part声符shēngfú
蜀
蜀shǔ觸chù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 觸 uses 角 for the meaning and 蜀 for the sound; the simplified 触 is a later shorthand.

Open 触 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

及 pairs 人 (person) with 又 (hand), showing a hand grabbing a person.

Open 及 →

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