强迫

• Pinyin: qiǎng pò
• Hanzi breakdown: 强 = 弓 + 虽, strong/force; 迫 = 辶 + 白, to press/compel

Meaning

To force; to compel; to coerce. Making someone do something against their will.

Often negative: 强迫劳动 (forced labor), 强迫症 (OCD, lit. compulsion disorder). Can describe external pressure or internal compulsion. Related: 被迫 (be forced), 逼迫 (coerce).

Examples

1. 没有人能强迫你做不愿意做的事。 No one can force you to do something you don't want to do.
2. 他有轻微的强迫症，什么都要摆得整整齐齐。 He has mild OCD and needs everything arranged perfectly.
3. 父母不应该强迫孩子学习他们不感兴趣的东西。 Parents shouldn't force children to learn things they're not interested in.

Usage Guide

Context: psychology, law, relationships

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 我不想强迫你。(I don't want to force you.)
• 这是强迫性行为。(This is compulsive behavior.)

Don't Say

• 强迫你帮我一下。(Too harsh — use 请你帮帮忙 or 麻烦你 for requests)

Origin & History

强 (qiáng/qiǎng, strong/to force) + 迫 (pò, to press/force). To apply strong pressure.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal