削弱

• Pinyin: xuē ruò
• Hanzi breakdown: 削 = 刀 + 肖 (knife + resemble — to pare/shave down); 弱 = two 弓 (two bent bows — feebleness, lack of strength)

Meaning

To weaken; to undermine; to diminish. To reduce the strength, power, or effectiveness of something.

Used in political, military, economic, and academic contexts to describe the intentional or gradual reduction of power, influence, or capability. More formal and deliberate than 减弱, which can describe natural processes.

Examples

1. 长期的贸易封锁严重削弱了该国的经济实力，导致民众生活水平大幅下降。 A long-term trade blockade severely weakened the country’s economy, causing a sharp drop in people’s standard of living.
2. 频繁的人事变动削弱了团队的凝聚力，使得多个重要项目进展迟缓。 Frequent personnel changes weakened the team’s cohesion, slowing the progress of several key projects.
3. 这场持久战不仅削弱了敌方的战斗力，也消耗了大量己方的战略资源。 The prolonged war not only weakened the enemy’s fighting capability but also consumed a large amount of our own strategic resources.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, military, economics, management

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 政府出台的系列政策有效削弱了垄断企业对市场的控制，为中小企业创造了更公平的竞争环境。(The series of policies introduced by the government effectively weakened the monopolistic enterprises' control over the market, creating a fairer competitive environment for small and medium enterprises.)
• 过度干预基层的工作细节只会削弱员工的自主性与积极性，影响整体工作效率。(Excessive interference in the operational details of frontline staff only undermines employees' autonomy and motivation, affecting overall work efficiency.)

Don't Say

• 天气削弱了我的心情 — use 影响 or 破坏 for emotional states; 削弱 is reserved for strength, power, capability, or influence and sounds unnatural applied to moods

Origin & History

削 (to pare/reduce) + 弱 (weak) — the combination means to cut down until weakened

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal