势能 (shì néng) — potential energy

Definition

noun
potential energy

Examples

  • ，势能。
    Wù tǐ zài gāo dù yuè gāo shí, shì néng yuè dà.
    The higher the object is, the greater its potential energy.
  • 势能。
    Shuǐ bà chǔ cún le dà liàng de shì néng.
    The dam stores a large amount of potential energy.
  • 势能。
    Zhè ge shí yàn zhǎn shì le shì néng zhuǎn huà wèi dòng néng de guò chéng.
    This experiment demonstrates the process of potential energy converting into kinetic energy.

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.

势shìposition
能néngenergy

The 势 (position) and 能 (energy) combine to name energy stored by position.

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 勢; 势 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìpower
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì勢shì
Same sound today

The traditional form 勢 combines 力, meaning power, with 埶 for the sound. The simplified 势 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 势 →

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

能 is an old picture of a bear, showing two paws and a face with an open mouth.

Open 能 →

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