阻断 (zǔ duàn) — to block, to obstruct, to cut off | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal verb meaning to block or cut off a passage, channel, or process (e.g. disease, traffic). Stronger and more deliberate than 阻止 (just 'prevent'); implies the connection is actually severed.

verb

to blockto obstructto cut off

Examples

阻断。
Dà xuě zǔ duàn le tōng wǎng shān qū de gōng lù.
Heavy snow blocked the highway to the mountain area.
阻断。
Xīn zhèng cè zhǐ zài zǔ duàn yì qíng chuán bō.
The new policy aims to cut off the spread of the epidemic.
阻断。
Tā de fā yán bèi zhǎng shēng duō cì zǔ duàn.
His speech was interrupted by applause several times.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

阻 means to block, and 断 means to sever; blocking leads to a cut-off result.

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.

阝且阻

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

且

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

阻 is built from 阝 (written in full as 阜) on the left and 且 on the right, which gives the sound.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 斷; 断 is its simplified writing.

𢇍𢇍𢇍to cut
斤斤jīnaxe

The traditional form 斷 uses 𢇍 (to cut) and 斤 (axe) together.

Appears in

Abstract Concepts

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