中段 (zhōng duàn) — middle section; middle part

Definition

noun
middle sectionmiddle part
Easily confused

Examples

  • 中段，。
    Gōng lù de zhōng duàn zhèng zài shī gōng, qǐng rào xíng.
    The middle section of the highway is under construction, please take a detour.
  • 中段。
    Bǐ sài de zhōng duàn zuì jī liè.
    The middle part of the competition is the most intense.
  • 中段。
    Zhè ge shān dòng de zhōng duàn hěn zhǎi.
    The middle section of this cave is very narrow.

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.

中zhōngmiddle
段duànsection

中 means middle and 段 means section, so it refers to a middle section.

Characters in this word

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

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

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
殳殳shū
Sound part声符shēngfú
厂
厂chǎng段duàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

段's shape shows 殳 as a hammer breaking a stone, with fragments flying off.

Open 段 →

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