公分母 (gōng fēn mǔ) — common denominator (mathematics)

Definition

noun
common denominator (mathematics)

Examples

  • 公分母。
    Qiú liǎng gè fēn shù de gōng fēn mǔ.
    Find the common denominator of two fractions.
  • 公分母12。
    Zhè ge gōng fēn mǔ shì 12.
    This common denominator is 12.
  • 公分母。
    Wǒ men xū yào zhǎo dào zuì xiǎo gōng fēn mǔ.
    We need to find the least common denominator.

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.

公gōngcommon
分母denominator
分fēndivide母mǔmother
偏正Modifier + head

公 means common, and 分母 is the denominator, so 公分母 is a common denominator.

Characters in this word

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

One theory sees 公 as a picture of a wide-mouthed, round-bottomed jar.

Open 公 →

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 母 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.