边缘化 (biān yuán huà) — to marginalize

Definition

Verb meaning 'to marginalize' — to push someone or something (a group, culture, practice) to the edge so it loses power or influence. Used in social, political, and economic contexts, and usually appears in the passive 被∼.

verb
to marginalize

Examples

  • 边缘化。
    Zhè ge zhèng cè shǐ shǎo shù mín zú bèi biān yuán huà le.
    This policy marginalized ethnic minorities.
  • ，边缘化。
    Zài quán qiú huà guò chéng zhōng, yì xiē chuán tǒng wén huà zhú jiàn bèi biān yuán huà.
    In the process of globalization, some traditional cultures are gradually marginalized.
  • ，边缘化。
    Gōng sī cái yuán shí, lǎo yuán gōng zuì róng yì biān yuán huà.
    When the company lays off, older employees are most easily marginalized.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

边缘edge/margin
边biānedge缘yuánmargin
联合Side by side
化huàmake

边缘, edge or margin, combines with 化, meaning to make, to marginalize.

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 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →

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 緣; 缘 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
彖
彖tuàn緣⁰yuán
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緣 puts 糸 (silk) beside 彖, which gives the sound; the simplified 缘 is a later abbreviation.

Open 缘 →

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

化 shows two person figures, one upright and one upside down, to give the idea of reversal or change.

Open 化 →

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