Chinese word

示威

Pronunciation

Pinyinshì wēi

Meaning

  • verbdemonstrate

Example

学生们在广场示威，要求改变政策。xué shēng men zài guáng chǎng shì wēi yāo qiú gǎi biàn zhèng cè

The students demonstrated in the square, demanding a change in policy.

Illustration for 示威 (demonstrate)

More examples

公司宣布让步后，工人停止示威，返回岗位。gōng sī xuān bù ràng bù hòu gōng rén tíng zhǐ shì wēi fǎn huí gǎng wèi

After the company announced concessions, the workers stopped demonstrating and returned to their jobs.

Core concept

Public action puts people, movement, or a shared demand in a visible place to show strength and call for change.

Common phrases

  • 公开示威gōng kāi shì wēi

    demonstrate publicly

  • 开始示威kāi shǐ shì wēi

    start demonstrating

  • 集体示威jí tǐ shì wēi

    demonstrate as a group

Similar words

抗议kàng yì: Making opposition or dissatisfaction known through open speech or action.
游行yóu xíng: Marching in an organized group through streets or other public places to express a demand.
罢工bà gōng: Refusing to work together until pay, treatment, or working conditions improve.
请愿qǐng yuàn: Presenting an official request or demand to an authority through a formal submission.

Definition in Chinese

以公开展示力量或不满为目的，通过占据公共空间、游行或其他行动来表达政治或社会要求的行为。yǐ gōng kāi zhǎn shì lì liàng huò bù mǎn wèi mù dì tōng guò zhàn jù gōng gòng kōng jiān yóu xíng huò qí tā xíng dòng lái biǎo dá zhèng zhì huò shè huì yāo qiú de xíng wéi

Word origin

示 (shì, "to show") + 威 (wēi, "force or authority") combines the ideas of showing and force, giving the modern sense of publicly displaying strength or opposition.

Usage tips

  • Unlike English demonstrate, which can describe showing how something works, this Chinese verb stays tied to public political or social action.

Other meanings

  • protestnoun

Related words

  • 示威游行shì wēi yóu xíngprotest marchnoun

Word lists with this word