避险 (bì xiǎn) — to avoid danger; to seek shelter from a hazard;…

Definition

Literally 'avoid danger'. Used both for physical safety (earthquakes, climbing) and in finance for shifting into safe assets to limit loss.

verb

to avoid dangerto seek shelter from a hazard(finance) to hedgeto move into safe-haven positions

，避险。
Dì zhèn fā shēng shí, dà jiā xùn sù bì xiǎn dào kāi kuò dì dài.
When the earthquake struck, everyone quickly evacuated to open ground.
，避险。
Shì chǎng bō dòng jiā dà, tóu zī zhě fēn fēn xuǎn zé bì xiǎn zī chǎn.
As market volatility increased, investors rushed to safe-haven assets.
避险。
Dēng shān qián yào zuò hǎo chōng fèn de bì xiǎn zhǔn bèi.
Before climbing a mountain, you need to make thorough preparations to avoid danger.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

避 (avoid) and 险 (danger) combine to mean avoid danger.

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.

辶辟避

Meaning part形符xíngfú

辶Written in full as辵chuòto walk

Sound part声符shēngfú

辟

Same sound today

避 is built from 辶, a walking-related form, plus 辟, 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 險; 险 is its simplified writing.

阝僉險

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

僉

僉qiān險

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 險 pairs 阝, written in full as 阜, with 僉, which gives the sound; the simplified 险 is a shorthand.