阻

zǔ

且 + 阝

Definitions

zǔ (verb) to hinder; to block; to obstruct

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 且 represents the sound.

Semantic: 阝 Phonetic: 且

About

阻 is a phono-semantic compound: the left component 阝 (fù, 'mound') provides the meaning, and the right component 且 (qiě) indicates the sound. The 'mound' radical points to terrain, and the character's original meaning was a steep hill, rugged ground, or natural barrier that impedes travel. Over time, this concrete sense of geographical obstruction gave rise to abstract uses meaning to hinder, block, or prevent progress. Today, 阻 describes both physical barricades and figurative obstacles, such as resistance, delays in a process, or forces that actively oppose an intended action.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

交通受阻了。

Jiāotōng shòu zǔ le.

Traffic was hindered.

困难阻碍了进步。

Kùnnan zǔ'ài le jìnbù.

Difficulties hinder progress.

不要阻止我学习。

Bùyào zǔzhǐ wǒ xuéxí.

Don't stop me from studying.

他们试图阻止战争。

Tāmen shìtú zǔzhǐ zhànzhēng.

They tried to prevent war.

这种材料能阻燃。

Zhè zhǒng cáiliào néng zǔrán.

This material is flame-retardant.

阻力来自各个方面。

Zǔlì láizì gè gè fāngmiàn.

Resistance comes from all aspects.

这场雨阻碍了交通。

Zhè chǎng yǔ zǔ'ài le jiāotōng.

This rain hindered traffic.

政府采取措施阻止疫情扩散。

Zhèngfǔ cǎiqǔ cuòshī zǔzhǐ yìqíng kuòsàn.

The government takes measures to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

Related Characters

Component: 且

Component: 阝

阻