Meaning
妨碍 means to get in the way of something or someone, creating obstacles that prevent smooth progress or normal functioning. It describes both physical blocking and abstract interference. The word carries a negative connotation, suggesting unwanted or harmful disruption.
Usage
This is a formal-to-neutral term commonly used in written Chinese, news reports, and official contexts. It often appears in legal or regulatory language (e.g., 妨碍公务 'obstructing official duties'). In daily conversation, speakers might use simpler alternatives like 影响 or 挡住, though 妨碍 remains perfectly natural in spoken contexts when discussing serious interference.
Examples
- 01这些障碍物妨碍了交通的正常运行。.These obstacles have hindered the normal flow of traffic.
- 02我不想妨碍你工作，有空再聊吧。, .I don't want to interfere with your work; let's chat when you're free.
Characters
Common collocations
- 妨碍交通to obstruct traffic
- 妨碍公务to obstruct official duties
- 妨碍发展to hinder development
- 不妨碍to not interfere with, to not hinder
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters independently mean 'to hinder.' 妨 contains the 女 radical (originally unrelated to gender in this case) and 方, while 碍 contains the 石 (stone) radical, suggesting physical obstruction. The compound reinforces the meaning through semantic doubling.