承载

• Pinyin: chéng zài
• Hanzi breakdown: 承 = to bear/support; 载 = 车 (vehicle) + 戈 (halberd, phonetic) = to carry/load

Meaning

To bear; to carry; to support (weight or responsibility). To hold or sustain something.

Used both for physical loads (bridges, vehicles) and abstract concepts (hopes, memories, culture). A formal term often found in engineering, architecture, and literary contexts.

Examples

1. 这座古桥已经承载了几百年的历史。 This ancient bridge has borne hundreds of years of history.
2. 这架飞机最大承载量是三百名乘客。 This aircraft has a maximum capacity of three hundred passengers.
3. 老照片承载着一家人的美好回忆。 Old photos carry a family's precious memories.

Usage Guide

Context: engineering, literature, culture

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 这条公路承载着巨大的交通压力。(This highway bears enormous traffic pressure.)
• 传统节日承载着丰富的文化内涵。(Traditional festivals carry rich cultural meaning.)

Don't Say

• 这个袋子承载苹果 (Too formal for everyday objects — use 装 instead)

Origin & History

Compound of 承 (to bear/support) and 载 (to load/carry). Together they emphasize the capacity to hold or support.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal