全长 (quán cháng) — overall length; total length

Definition

noun

overall lengthtotal length

全长。
Zhè zuò qiáo de quán cháng yuē yǒu liǎng qiān mǐ.
The overall length of this bridge is about two kilometers.
全长。
Wǒ men xū yào cè liáng suì dào de quán cháng.
We need to measure the total length of the tunnel.
全长。
Zhè tiáo tiě lù de quán cháng shì shè jì de guān jiàn cān shù.
The overall length of this railway is a key design parameter.

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.

全 means whole and 长 means length; together they name total length.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape puts 入 together with 玉 to show a whole piece of jade, so it means complete or whole.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.