suppress

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 抑 has 7 strokes and the on-reading よく. 抑える (おさえる) and 抑制 (よくせい) concern holding back force or degree.
• Basic usage: 抑える is used for lowering one's voice or keeping costs down; 抑制 concerns restraining emotions or suppressing vibration.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• What is restrained and an attempted action
  • 声を抑えて describes keeping one's voice down. 費用を抑える means reducing or controlling costs so that they do not grow.
  • 怒りを抑制しようとした describes trying to restrain anger without establishing that the attempt succeeded. 振動を抑制する効果 means an effect that suppresses vibration.