公里数 (gōng lǐ shǔ) — mileage (in kilometers)

Definition

noun
mileage (in kilometers)

Examples

  • 公里数。
    Zhè liàng chē de gōng lǐ shǔ yǐ jīng chāo guò shí wàn le.
    This car's mileage has already exceeded one hundred thousand.
  • ，公里数。
    Mǎi èr shǒu chē shí, yí dìng yào zǐ xì kàn gōng lǐ shǔ.
    When buying a used car, you must carefully check the mileage.
  • 公里数。
    Cóng běi jīng dào shàng hǎi de gōng lǐ shǔ dà yuē shì yì qiān èr bǎi gōng lǐ.
    The distance from Beijing to Shanghai in kilometers is roughly 1,200.

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.

公里kilometer
公gōngmetric里lǐli
偏正Modifier + head
数shùnumber

公里 gives kilometer and 数 gives number, forming the number of kilometers.

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 →

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 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu數shù(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 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →

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