平息

píngxī

verb HSK 7-9 #9,278

Meanings

1 to calm down; to subside; to quell
2 to pacify; to put down (unrest)

Characters

flat; calm; peaceful

to cease; to rest; breath

Literally 'flatten to a stop' - to bring turbulence or agitation to a calm, resting state.

Examples

HSK 6

政府采取措施平息了抗议活动。

Zhèngfǔ cǎiqǔ cuòshī píngxī le kàngyì huódòng.

The government took measures to quell the protests.

HSK 7-9

过了很久,她的怒气才平息下来。

Guò le hěn jiǔ, tā de nùqì cái píngxī xiàlái.

It was a long time before her anger subsided.

Tips

usage

平息 works for both emotions and events. 平息怒气 (calm one's anger), 平息风波 (quell a controversy), 平息事态 (bring a situation under control). It implies something was turbulent and has been brought back to calm.

Stroke Order

平 píng

息 xī