压力计 (yā lì jì) — pressure gauge; manometer

Definition

noun

pressure gaugemanometer

Measure word · 台

压力计。
Gōng chéng shī yòng yā lì jì cè liáng guǎn dào zhōng de yā lì.
The engineer uses a pressure gauge to measure the pressure in the pipe.
压力计。
Zhè ge yā lì jì de dú shù bú tài zhǔn què.
The reading on this pressure gauge is not very accurate.
压力计。
Qǐng bǎ yā lì jì ān zhuāng zài guō lú páng biān.
Please install the pressure gauge next to the boiler.

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.

压力pressure

偏正Modifier + head

压力 gives pressing force and 计 gives a meter, together a pressure gauge.

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

厭土壓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔdust

Sound part声符shēngfú

厭

厭yàn壓yā

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

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

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 計; 计 is its simplified writing.

言十計

The traditional form 計 pairs 言 (say) with 十 (all). The simplified 计 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical shape.