verb / noun HSK 4
Traditional 積
to accumulate · to amass · to store up · product (math)
Meaning
积 means to gradually gather or pile up over time. It describes the process of accumulation, whether physical items, abstract qualities like experience, or mathematical products. The character combines 禾 (grain) and 责 (responsibility/debt), suggesting the idea of storing grain.
Usage
积 is commonly used in compound words rather than alone. It appears frequently in formal or written contexts describing long-term accumulation processes. In mathematics, 积 specifically means the product of multiplication.
Examples
- 01他通过多年的工作积累了丰富的经验。.He accumulated rich experience through many years of work.
- 02这个盒子的体积是长乘宽乘高的积。.The volume of this box is the product of length times width times height.
Common collocations
- 积累经验to accumulate experience
- 积极参加to actively participate
- 日积月累to accumulate over time
- 体积volume
Antonyms
Origin
The character combines 禾 (grain/crops) with a phonetic component, originally representing the accumulation or storage of harvested grain.