Meaning
简化 means to make something simpler or less complex by reducing unnecessary elements or complications. It's commonly used in contexts involving processes, procedures, language, or systems that need to be made more efficient or easier to understand.
Usage
This word is used in both formal and informal contexts, often in business, administrative, technical, or educational settings. It typically takes a direct object and can be used to describe simplifying physical things (like characters), abstract concepts (like procedures), or systems (like workflows). Common in the phrase 简化手续 (simplify procedures).
Examples
- 01我们需要简化申请流程，让客户更容易注册。, .We need to simplify the application process to make it easier for customers to register.
- 02中国在1950年代开始简化汉字。.China began simplifying Chinese characters in the 1950s.
Characters
Common collocations
- 简化手续simplify procedures
- 简化流程streamline the process
- 简化字simplified characters
- 过度简化oversimplify
Antonyms
Origin
The character 简 originally depicted bamboo slips used for writing, suggesting brevity. The suffix 化 turns adjectives into verbs meaning 'to make into' or 'to become.' Together they mean 'to make simple.'