强加

• Pinyin: qiáng jiā
• Hanzi breakdown: 强 = 弓 + 虫 (a powerful bow — strength); 加 = 力 + 口 (force + mouth — to add by applying pressure)

Meaning

To impose something on someone without their consent; to force one's will, views, or decisions upon another person or group against their wishes.

Always implies an unwilling recipient and an overreach of power. Stronger than 施加 (to exert/apply) and more confrontational than 建议 (to suggest). Common in political discourse, philosophical debate, and discussions of interpersonal boundaries. Often collocates with 意志 (will), 观点 (viewpoint), and 价值观 (values).

Examples

1. 任何国家都不应将自己的价值观强加于其他主权国家，这是国际关系的基本准则。 No country should impose its own values on other sovereign nations; that is a basic principle of international relations.
2. 父母将自己未实现的梦想强加给孩子，往往会引发严重的亲子矛盾，伤害双方的感情。 When parents force their unrealized dreams onto their children, it often sparks serious parent-child conflict and hurts the relationship on both sides.
3. 上级不顾团队意见，将不合理的方案强加给整个项目组，导致士气低落，进度严重滞后。 Ignoring the team’s views, the supervisor forced an unreasonable plan on the entire project group, leading to low morale and major delays.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, education, diplomacy

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 教育的本质是引导学生自主思考，而不是将固定的答案强加给学生，扼杀他们的创造力与批判思维。(The essence of education is to guide students in independent thinking, not to impose fixed answers upon them and stifle their creativity and critical thinking.)
• 在多边谈判中，强国往往试图将对自身有利的条款强加于弱势方，这种做法受到越来越多国际社会成员的批评。(In multilateral negotiations, powerful nations often attempt to impose terms favourable to themselves on weaker parties, a practice attracting increasing criticism from members of the international community.)

Don't Say

• 他强加了我一本书 — 强加 takes an indirect object structure; say 他把这本书强加给了我 or 他强迫我接受这本书 (he forced this book on me) — the direct object must be flagged with 把 or restructured

Origin & History

强 (strong/to force) + 加 (to add/impose upon)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal