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铲除 (chǎn chú) — to root out; to eradicate; to uproot

Definition

铲除 (chǎnchú) is a strong, formal verb meaning to root out and destroy something completely, often used for evils, bad habits, or weeds. The character 铲 (shovel) reinforces the image of digging something out by its roots.

verb
to root outto eradicateto uproot

Examples

  • 铲除。
    Zhèng fǔ jué xīn chǎn chú fǔ bài xiàn xiàng.
    The government is determined to eradicate corruption.
  • 铲除。
    Wǒ men xū yào chè dǐ chǎn chú ān quán yǐn huàn.
    We need to thoroughly eliminate safety hazards.
  • 铲除。
    Zhè piàn zá cǎo bì xū chǎn chú gān jìng.
    This patch of weeds must be rooted out cleanly.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

铲chǎnscrape off
除chúremove

铲 and 除 both convey removing, so together they mean to root out or eradicate.

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 鏟; 铲 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 铲 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 剷; in others it is 鏟.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
產
產chǎn鏟chǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 鏟 pairs 金 (metal) with 產 as a sound part; the simplified 铲 is a later shorthand.

Open 铲 →

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
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú除chú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

除 is built from 阜 and 余, with 余 giving the sound.

Open 除 →
Appears in
Change & Process

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