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动车 (dòng chē) — high-speed train (D- or C-class in China)

Definition

A China-specific term for EMU high-speed trains (D- and C-class services), faster than 火车 but slower than 高铁 (which is the railway system/line itself, max ∼350 km/h).

noun
high-speed train (D- or C-class in China)
Measure word · 辆

Examples

  • 动车。
    Wǒ cóng běi jīng zuò dòng chē dào guǎng zhōu.
    I take the high-speed train from Beijing to Guangzhou.
  • 动车。
    dòng chē De piào bǐ pǔ tōng huǒ chē guì yì xiē.
    The ticket for a high-speed train is a bit more expensive than for a regular train.
  • 动车。
    Zhè tàng dòng chē shì shàng wǔ shí diǎn chū fā.
    This high-speed train departs at 10am.

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.

动dòngmove
车chēvehicle

动车 combines 动 'move' and 车 'vehicle' to mean a self-powered train car.

Characters in this word

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 車; 车 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 車 was drawn as a carriage seen from above, with wheels on both sides and a shaft at the front; the simplified 车 is a later shorthand.

Open 车 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4Trains & Transit5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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