压抑
yāyì · HSK 7
constrain
🗜️ 压 (press) + 抑 (hold back) = press down and hold back = constrain, inhibit
压 means press or apply pressure; 抑 means restrain or keep down. Together they describe forcing something down and keeping it there, so 压抑 covers both physical constraint and the inhibiting or suppressing of feelings.
压 — 厂 (cliff) + 土 (earth) below
压 is the simplified form of 壓. The original character combined 厭 (phonetic, suggesting 'yā') with 土 (earth) to mean pressing or weighing down on the ground. The modern simplified form keeps 厂 (a cliff or overhang) above 土, visually evoking earth being pressed under a heavy mass.