依附

yīfù
verb #23,247

Meanings

  1. 1 to adhere to
  2. 2 to attach oneself to
  3. 3 to depend on
  4. 4 to be subordinate to

Examples

HSK 3
Tā bù xiǎng yīfù rènhérén, xīwàng kào zìjǐ de nǔlì shēnghuó.
He doesn't want to depend on anyone and hopes to live by his own efforts.
HSK 7-9
Téngwàn yīfù zài dàshù shàng xiàngshàng pān pá.
The vines cling to the large tree and climb upward.

Tips

usage
依附 can be used literally (a vine attaches to a tree) or figuratively (a person attaches themselves to a patron or powerful entity). The figurative use often implies a kind of subservience or loss of independence, with a mildly negative connotation.

Stroke Order