fá

活门

Word · NounTraditional閥

valve; powerful family or faction

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

2 senses · 4 examples
1.

noun

valve (in machinery or piping)

technical

A mechanical device for controlling the flow of a fluid (gas, liquid, steam).

Shuǐ水
guǎn管
lòu漏
le了
 ，
kě可
néng能
shì是
fá阀
mén门
huài坏
le了
 。

The water pipe is leaking; maybe the valve is broken.

Qǐng请
dǎ打
kāi开
ān安
quán全
fá阀
 。

Please open the safety valve.

2.

noun

powerful and influential clan, family, or faction

formal

Often used in historical or political contexts, e.g., referring to powerful industrial or political families.

Qīng清
mò末
mín民
chū初
 ，
jūn军
fá阀
gē割
jù据
 。

In the late Qing and early Republic periods, warlords carved up the territory.

Tā他
chū出
shēn身
yú于
jīn金
róng融
cái财
fá阀
 。

He comes from a financial conglomerate family.