施压

• Pinyin: shī yā
• Hanzi breakdown: 施 = 方 + 也 (to apply, to carry out); 压 = 厂 + 土 (pressure, to press down)

Meaning

To apply pressure; to put pressure on. To compel or coerce someone through force, threats, or leverage.

A slightly more concise and action-oriented synonym of 施加压力. Frequently used in political, diplomatic, and business reporting. The pressure may be economic, military, diplomatic, social, or psychological. Collocations: 向…施压 (apply pressure to), 持续施压 (sustain pressure), 单方面施压 (unilateral pressure), 通过…施压 (apply pressure through).

Examples

1. 债权国联合向借款国施压，要求其在本财年内推进财政整顿并削减公共债务规模。 Creditor countries joined forces to put pressure on the borrower, demanding that it push ahead with fiscal tightening this fiscal year and reduce the scale of public debt.
2. 他在签合同前一直向对方施压，坚持将违约赔偿金额提高到原先方案的三倍。 Before signing the contract, he kept pressuring the other side, insisting the liquidated damages be raised to three times the amount in the original proposal.
3. 环保组织通过公众舆论和媒体曝光向高污染企业施压，迫使其提前公布减排时间表。 Environmental groups used public opinion and media exposure to put pressure on high-polluting companies, forcing them to publish an emissions-reduction timetable early.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, diplomacy, business, negotiations

Tone: confrontational

Do Say

• 谈判陷入僵局后，强势一方开始通过暂停进口配额的方式向对方施压，迫使其重返谈判桌作出让步。(After the negotiations reached an impasse, the stronger party began applying pressure on the other side by suspending import quotas, forcing it back to the negotiating table to make concessions.)
• 消费者权益组织号召公众通过拒绝购买的方式向涉嫌欺诈的品牌施压，直至该品牌公开道歉并给予赔偿。(The consumer rights organisation called on the public to put pressure on the brand suspected of fraud by refusing to buy its products, until the brand issued a public apology and provided compensation.)

Don't Say

• 施压 for gentle encouragement or positive motivation — it always carries a coercive or confrontational connotation; use 激励 (motivate) or 鼓励 (encourage) in positive contexts

Origin & History

施 (to apply) + 压 (pressure)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal