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勘测 (kān cè) — to survey (land, terrain, resources)

Definition

verb
to survey (land, terrain, resources)

Examples

  • ，勘测。
    Shī gōng qián, tā men xiān kān cè le dì xíng.
    Before construction, they surveyed the terrain first.
  • 勘测。
    Zhè zhī duì wu huā le sān gè yuè kān cè kuàng chǎn zī yuán.
    This team spent three months surveying mineral resources.
  • 勘测。
    Wǒ men xū yào kān cè yí xià zhè piàn qū yù.
    We need to survey this area first.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

勘kānexamine
测cèmeasure

「勘」 means examine and 「测」 means measure, together describing surveying terrain.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrong
Sound part声符shēngfú
甚
甚shèn勘kān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

勘 pairs 力 (strong) with 甚 (shèn) for sound; it means to look at carefully, strongly.

Open 勘 →

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 測; 测 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé測cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 測 combines 氵 (water) with 則 for the sound; it is explained as measuring the depth of water. The simplified 测 is a later shorthand.

Open 测 →
Appears in
Geography & LandformsScience (General)

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