pressure

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 圧 is associated with pressing or applying pressure; its on-reading is あつ.
• Basic usage: 圧力(あつりょく) means pressure, while 圧縮(あっしゅく) means compression. Notice the small っ in the reading of 圧縮.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Physical pressure and pressure from others
  • 圧力 inside a container is physical pressure measured with a gauge. 周囲の圧力に負けず means without giving in to pressure from those around you.
• Reducing volume and data size
  • Putting winter clothes in a bag and applying 圧縮 reduces the space they occupy. 画像を圧縮する means compressing an image, which can reduce the amount of data to transmit.