Meaning
延伸 means to extend or stretch out in space, time, or scope. It describes something that reaches further than its original boundaries, whether physical (like a road extending into the distance) or abstract (like extending an idea or concept).
Usage
This is a formal and somewhat literary verb commonly used in written Chinese, news reports, and academic contexts. It often appears when describing infrastructure, concepts, or influence spreading outward. Native speakers use it for both concrete extensions (roads, buildings) and abstract ones (ideas, influence, meaning).
Examples
- 01这条高速公路一直延伸到边境地区。.This highway extends all the way to the border region.
- 02我们需要把这个概念延伸到实际应用中。.We need to extend this concept to practical applications.
Characters
Common collocations
- 向...延伸...to extend toward...
- 延伸到to extend to
- 不断延伸to continuously extend
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters relate to extension: 延 originally meant to prolong or draw out, while 伸 depicts stretching the body. Together they reinforce the concept of reaching outward or lengthening.