三角架 (sān jiǎo jià) — tripod (three-legged stand for cameras, instruments, etc.)

Definition

A three-legged stand, most often used to hold a camera steady while taking photos. Composed of 三 (three) + 角 (legs/angles) + 架 (rack/stand).

noun
tripod (three-legged stand for cameras, instruments, etc.)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，三角架。
    Pāi zhào de shí hou, yòng sān jiǎo jià huì gèng wěn.
    When taking photos, using a tripod will be more stable.
  • 三角架。
    Zhè ge sān jiǎo jià kě yǐ tiáo jié gāo dù.
    This tripod can adjust its height.
  • 三角架，。
    Wǒ mǎi le yí gè xīn de sān jiǎo jià, hěn qīng biàn.
    I bought a new tripod; it's very lightweight.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

三角three-corner
三sānthree角jiǎocorner
偏正Modifier + head
架jiàstand

三 and 角 give three corners, and 架 is a frame, so a three-cornered stand.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

三 is drawn as three parallel strokes, like 一 with one stroke and 二 with two.

Open 三 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 角 is a picture of a horn.

Open 角 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree, wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
加
加jiā架jià
Same sound today

架 shows 木, meaning wood, with 加 giving the sound; it refers to a wooden prop.

Open 架 →

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