向心 (xiàng xīn) — (physics) centripetal; (linguistics) endocentric

Definition

A technical term used in two fields. In physics, it means 'centripetal' (directed toward a center, as in centripetal force); in linguistics, it means 'endocentric' (a phrase whose head is the same category as the whole, e.g. red + car = car).

adjective
(physics) centripetal(linguistics) endocentric

Examples

  • 。
    xiàng xīn Lì shǐ wù tǐ yán zhe yuán xíng guǐ dào yùn dòng.
    Centripetal force makes objects move along a circular path.
  • 向心。
    Zhè ge gōng shì yòng lái jì suàn xiàng xīn jiā sù dù.
    This formula is used to calculate centripetal acceleration.
  • ，向心。
    Zài yǔ yán xué zhōng, xiàng xīn jié gòu zhǐ de shì duǎn yǔ de zhōng xīn cí.
    In linguistics, an endocentric structure refers to the head word of a phrase.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

向xiàngtoward
心xīncenter

“向” means toward, and “心” means center, so it points toward the center.

Characters in this word

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

向 originally drew 宀 (house) with 口 to show an echo in a place; later it was used for direction.

Open 向 →

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

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →

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