抑

yì

卬 + 扌

Definitions

yì (verb) to restrain; to restrict

yì (particle) or

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 印 represents the sound. Originally written as 印 or 色.

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 卬

About

A phono-semantic compound, 抑 combines the hand radical 扌 with the sound component 卬 (originally 印). The physical sense is to press down, push something lower, or hold it submerged. From this, the meaning extended to abstract restraint: suppressing emotions, inhibiting actions, or controlling others. The structure thus links a downward force of the hand to metaphorical ideas of restriction and repression, without any change in form.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他抑制不住自己的情绪。

Tā yìzhì bù zhù zìjǐ de qíngxù.

He couldn't suppress his emotions.

这种药可以抑制病毒。

Zhè zhǒng yào kěyǐ yìzhì bìngdú.

This medicine can suppress the virus.

她感到有些抑郁和孤独。

Tā gǎndào yǒuxiē yìyù hé gūdú.

She feels somewhat depressed and lonely.

压抑的环境让人不舒服。

Yāyì de huánjìng ràng rén bù shūfu.

The oppressive environment makes people uncomfortable.

我们必须抑制消费的冲动。

Wǒmen bìxū yìzhì xiāofèi de chōngdòng.

We must suppress the impulse to consume.

抑郁症状需要及时治疗。

Yìyù zhèngzhuàng xūyào jíshí zhìliáo.

Depressive symptoms require timely treatment.

你去北京，抑或上海？

Nǐ qù Běijīng, yìhuò Shànghǎi?

Are you going to Beijing, or Shanghai?

在压力下，他努力抑制着内心的焦虑，以免影响工作。

Zài yālì xià, tā nǔlì yìzhì zhe nèixīn de jiāolǜ, yǐmiǎn yǐngxiǎng gōngzuò.

Under pressure, he tried hard to suppress his inner anxiety to avoid affecting work.

Related Characters

Component: 卬

Component: 扌

Example Words