交点 (jiāo diǎn) — point of intersection; node (mathematics, astronomy)

Definition

In math, the point where two curves or lines meet. In astronomy, one of the two points where an orbit crosses a reference plane (e.g. 月球轨道交点).

noun
point of intersectionnode (mathematics, astronomy)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 交点。
    Zhè liǎng tiáo zhí xiàn de jiāo diǎn shì yuán diǎn.
    The intersection point of these two lines is the origin.
  • 交点。
    Yuè qiú de yùn xíng guǐ dào jīng guò liǎng gè jiāo diǎn.
    The moon's orbit passes through two nodes.
  • 交点。
    Zài mǎ lù jiāo diǎn chù yǒu yí gè hóng lǜ dēng.
    There is a traffic light at the road intersection.

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.

交jiāointersect
点diǎnpoint

交 gives intersecting, 点 gives point; together an intersection point.

Characters in this word

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

交 originally drew a human with crossed legs. In the modern shape, the upper part resembles a standing person.

Open 交 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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