遏制 (èzhì) — to restrain, to curb

遏制 (èzhì)

遏制 means to restrain, curb, or check the growth or spread of something, especially something negative like inflation, disease, conflict, or undesirable behavior. It implies active effort to hold something back or keep it under control. It is a formal word used primarily in political, economic, and security discourse.

Meanings

1. [v] to restrain; to curb; to check; to hold back
2. [v] to suppress the spread or growth of (a negative phenomenon)

Example Sentences

各国政府采取紧急措施，努力遏制通货膨胀对普通民众生活的冲击。 Gè guó zhèngfǔ cǎiqǔ jǐnjí cuòshī, nǔlì èzhì tōnghuò péngzhàng duì pǔtōng mínzhòng shēnghuó de chōngjī. Governments took emergency measures to curb the impact of inflation on ordinary people's lives.

世界卫生组织呼吁各国加强合作，共同遏制耐药性细菌的蔓延。 Shìjiè wèishēng zǔzhī hūyù gè guó jiāqiáng hézuò, gòngtóng èzhì nàiyàoxìng xìjūn de mànyán. The World Health Organization called on countries to strengthen cooperation to jointly curb the spread of drug-resistant bacteria.

监管部门出台了一系列政策，旨在遏制房地产市场的过热趋势。 Jiāngǔan bùmén chūtāile yī xìliè zhèngcè, zhǐ zài èzhì fángdìchǎn shìchǎng de guòrè qūshì. Regulatory authorities issued a series of policies aimed at curbing the overheating trend in the real estate market.

早期干预是遏制青少年犯罪行为的最有效手段之一。 Zǎoqī gānyù shì èzhì qīngshàonián fànzuì xíngwéi de zuì yǒuxiào shǒuduàn zhī yī. Early intervention is one of the most effective means of curbing juvenile delinquency.

国际制裁措施旨在遏制该国核武器研发项目的进一步扩大。 Guójì zhìcái cuòshī zhǐ zài èzhì gāi guó héwǔqì yánfā xiàngmù de jìnyībù kuòdà. International sanctions are aimed at curbing the further expansion of the country's nuclear weapons development program.

仅靠执法手段难以从根本上遏制腐败，制度性改革才是关键。 Jǐn kào zhífǎ shǒuduàn nányǐ cóng gēnběn shàng èzhì fǔbài, zhìdùxìng gǎigé cái shì guānjiàn. Relying solely on law enforcement cannot fundamentally curb corruption — institutional reform is the key.

Collocations

Usage Notes

遏制 is used for suppressing or checking the growth and spread of negative phenomena. It differs from 控制 (kòngzhì, to control) in that 遏制 specifically implies countering something that is growing or spreading, while 控制 more generally means to manage or regulate. 遏制 also has a stronger connotation of active resistance against a force that is pushing forward.

In geopolitical discourse, 遏制 is particularly important as the Chinese equivalent of "containment" (as in Cold War containment policy). The phrase 对华遏制 or 遏华政策 (containment of China) appears frequently in Chinese foreign policy commentary. C1 learners should be aware of this political usage alongside its more general meaning.

Memory Hook

遏 (to obstruct, to stop — the stop radical suggests blockage) + 制 (to control, to restrain): "blocking and controlling the advance of something" — actively curbing something that would otherwise grow or spread.