====== chéngshòu: 承受 - To Bear, Endure, Withstand ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  * **Keywords:** chengshou, 承受, bear in Chinese, endure in Chinese, withstand pressure, Chinese word for hardship, Chinese resilience, bear responsibility, take criticism Chinese, chengshou vs renshou, HSK 5 vocabulary.
  * **Summary:** Learn the deep meaning of **承受 (chéngshòu)**, a fundamental Chinese verb for "to bear," "endure," or "withstand." This page breaks down how to use `承受` to talk about bearing physical weight, enduring emotional pressure, and taking on responsibility. Discover its cultural significance related to resilience and perseverance, and understand how it differs from similar words like `忍受 (rěnshòu)` and `接受 (jiēshòu)`. Perfect for HSK 5 students and anyone wanting to grasp a core concept in Chinese thought.
===== Core Meaning =====
  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** chéngshòu
  * **Part of Speech:** Verb
  * **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  * **Concise Definition:** To bear, endure, withstand, or support a physical or abstract burden.
  * **In a Nutshell:** Imagine a pillar holding up the roof of a temple. That pillar is `承受`-ing the weight. Now, apply that same idea to people. `承受` is about holding up under a heavy load, whether it's the literal weight of an object, the emotional weight of grief, the mental weight of stress (`压力`), or the social weight of criticism. It implies a capacity to withstand something difficult that is imposed from the outside.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  * **承 (chéng):** This character can mean "to bear," "to receive," or "to continue." Pictorially, it originally depicted a person on their knees receiving an order or object from a superior. This captures the idea of taking something on.
  * **受 (shòu):** This character means "to receive," "to accept," or "to suffer." It depicts one hand giving something to another, emphasizing the act of reception, often passively.
  * When combined, **承受 (chéngshòu)** creates a powerful, formal term. The doubling of the "receiving" concept (`承` + `受`) reinforces the idea of taking on a significant, often difficult, external force or burden and having the capacity to hold it.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
`承受` is deeply tied to the Chinese cultural value of resilience and perseverance, often encapsulated in the idiom **吃苦耐劳 (chī kǔ nài láo)**, which means "to be able to eat bitterness and endure hard work." The ability to `承受` immense pressure, hardship, or suffering without complaint is traditionally seen as a sign of great strength, maturity, and virtue.
In a Western cultural context, especially American culture, there is often an emphasis on vocalizing struggle, seeking external help, or actively changing one's circumstances to eliminate a burden. While this also happens in China, there is a stronger underlying cultural expectation to quietly `承受` one's burdens, particularly in the context of family, work, or societal duty. Admitting you **承受不了 (chéngshòu bùliǎo)**, or "cannot bear it," can sometimes be seen as a sign of weakness or may lead to a loss of face (**面子, miànzi**), as it shows you lack the capacity to fulfill your role. This value highlights a more collectivist mindset, where individual endurance contributes to the stability of the group.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
`承受` is a versatile and common word, though it carries a slightly formal tone. It's used frequently in news, formal discussions, and serious conversations.
  * **Emotional & Psychological Pressure:** This is one of the most common uses. People `承受` stress (`压力`), pain (`痛苦`), and loneliness (`孤独`).
    * //e.g., 现在的年轻人需要承受很大的工作压力。 (Today's young people need to bear a lot of work pressure.)//
  * **Physical & Structural Force:** Used for inanimate objects bearing weight or force.
    * //e.g., 这座桥能承受多大的重量？ (How much weight can this bridge withstand?)//
  * **Financial & Economic:** Used in business and finance to talk about bearing costs or losses.
    * //e.g., 公司必须承受这次投资的损失。 (The company must bear the losses from this investment.)//
  * **Social & Relational:** Used for taking on criticism, blame, or consequences.
    * //e.g., 作为领导，他必须承受所有的批评。 (As a leader, he must take all the criticism.)//
The connotation is generally neutral to slightly negative, as the object being "borne" is almost always something difficult or undesirable.
===== Example Sentences =====
  * **Example 1:**
    * 他默默地**承受**着家庭的重担。
    * Pinyin: Tā mòmò de **chéngshòu** zhe jiātíng de zhòngdàn.
    * English: He silently bears the heavy burden of his family.
    * Analysis: This is a classic example showing the cultural value of quiet endurance. `重担 (zhòngdàn)` means "heavy burden," a perfect object for `承受`.
  * **Example 2:**
    * 我真的**承受**不了这么大的压力了。
    * Pinyin: Wǒ zhēn de **chéngshòu** buliǎo zhème dà de yālì le.
    * English: I really can't bear this much pressure anymore.
    * Analysis: `承受不了 (chéngshòu bùliǎo)` is a very common phrase to express that one has reached their limit. `不了 (bùliǎo)` is a potential complement that indicates an inability to complete the action.
  * **Example 3:**
    * 这座古老的建筑已经无法**承受**任何地震。
    * Pinyin: Zhè zuò gǔlǎo de jiànzhù yǐjīng wúfǎ **chéngshòu** rènhé dìzhèn.
    * English: This ancient building can no longer withstand any earthquake.
    * Analysis: Here, `承受` is used in its literal, physical sense. `无法 (wúfǎ)` is a formal way of saying "cannot," which matches the formal tone of `承受`.
  * **Example 4:**
    * 你必须学会**承受**失败带来的痛苦。
    * Pinyin: Nǐ bìxū xuéhuì **chéngshòu** shībài dàilái de tòngkǔ.
    * English: You must learn to endure the pain that comes with failure.
    * Analysis: This sentence frames `承受` as a skill to be learned, highlighting the theme of personal growth through hardship.
  * **Example 5:**
    * 任何人都应该为自己的行为**承受**后果。
    * Pinyin: Rènhé rén dōu yīnggāi wèi zìjǐ de xíngwéi **chéngshòu** hòuguǒ.
    * English: Everyone should bear the consequences of their own actions.
    * Analysis: This shows `承受` used in the context of responsibility and accountability. The object is `后果 (hòuguǒ)`, "consequences."
  * **Example 6:**
    * 我们的服务器可以**承受**每秒百万次的访问。
    * Pinyin: Wǒmen de fúwùqì kěyǐ **chéngshòu** měi miǎo bǎiwàn cì de fǎngwèn.
    * English: Our servers can handle one million visits per second.
    * Analysis: A modern, technical usage. Here, "bear" or "handle" refers to capacity and performance, similar to withstanding a physical force.
  * **Example 7:**
    * 她独自一人**承受**了所有的非议。
    * Pinyin: Tā dúzì yīrén **chéngshòu** le suǒyǒu de fēiyì.
    * English: She endured all the criticism and gossip by herself.
    * Analysis: `非议 (fēiyì)` refers to criticism and censure. This sentence evokes a sense of stoicism and strength in the face of social pressure.
  * **Example 8:**
    * 这家小企业无法**承受**原材料价格的上涨。
    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā xiǎo qǐyè wúfǎ **chéngshòu** yuáncáiliào jiàgé de shàngzhǎng.
    * English: This small business cannot sustain the rise in raw material prices.
    * Analysis: A common business context. Here, `承受` means to absorb or sustain a financial blow.
  * **Example 9:**
    * 病人正在**承受**巨大的身体痛苦。
    * Pinyin: Bìngrén zhèngzài **chéngshòu** jùdà de shēntǐ tòngkǔ.
    * English: The patient is enduring immense physical pain.
    * Analysis: This differentiates from emotional pain (`心理痛苦`) by specifying `身体痛苦` (physical pain). `承受` works for both.
  * **Example 10:**
    * 他的心理**承受**能力很强。
    * Pinyin: Tā de xīnlǐ **chéngshòu** nénglì hěn qiáng.
    * English: His psychological endurance (lit: ability to bear) is very strong.
    * Analysis: `承受能力 (chéngshòu nénglì)` is a set noun phrase meaning "tolerance," "endurance," or "capacity to bear something." It's a great way to describe someone's resilience.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
A major challenge for learners is distinguishing `承受` from similar verbs.
  * **`承受 (chéngshòu)` vs. `忍受 (rěnshòu)`**
    * `承受` focuses on **capacity and support**. It's about having the strength to hold up a burden. It can be neutral. A bridge `承受` weight.
    * `忍受 (rěnshòu)` means "to tolerate" or "put up with." It focuses on **patience and suffering**. It implies you dislike the situation and are actively suppressing your discomfort. You `忍受` a toothache or a noisy neighbor.
    * **Mistake:** Saying `这座桥在忍受卡车的重量` (The bridge is tolerating the truck's weight). This is wrong. A bridge doesn't have feelings to suppress; it simply bears the weight. Use `承受`.
    * **Correct:** `这座桥在承受卡车的重量。`
  * **`承受 (chéngshòu)` vs. `接受 (jiēshòu)`**
    * `承受` is for bearing an **imposed, often negative, burden**. You `承受` pressure, losses, or pain.
    * `接受 (jiēshòu)` means "to accept," and it's often a **neutral or willing act**. You `接受` a gift, an invitation, an apology, or an idea.
    * **Mistake:** Saying `我承受你的道歉` (I bear your apology). This is incorrect and sounds very strange.
    * **Correct:** `我接受你的道歉。` (I accept your apology.)
    * **Correct:** `我承受了批评。` (I bore the criticism.)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  * [[忍受]] (rěnshòu) - To tolerate, to put up with. Emphasizes the internal struggle against something unpleasant, whereas `承受` emphasizes the capacity to withstand it.
  * [[担当]] (dāndāng) - To take on (a responsibility), to shoulder. More proactive and positive than `承受`. It implies willingly stepping up to take charge.
  * [[负担]] (fùdān) - (Noun) A burden, load, encumbrance. This is often the thing that one `承受`.
  * [[压力]] (yālì) - (Noun) Pressure, stress. The most common abstract concept that people `承受`.
  * [[吃苦]] (chīkǔ) - "To eat bitterness." A verb phrase that describes the act of enduring hardship, a core cultural value related to the ability to `承受`.
  * [[坚持]] (jiānchí) - To persist, to persevere. This is the action one takes to continue `承受`-ing a difficult situation over time.
  * [[接受]] (jiēshòu) - To accept. Used for willingly receiving things like gifts, apologies, or suggestions, not for bearing burdens.
  * [[面临]] (miànlín) - To be faced with, to be confronted with. Describes the situation *before* you have to `承受` it. You `面临` a challenge, and then you must `承受` the pressure of that challenge.