圆锥 (yuán zhuī) — (geometry) circular cone; (engineering) taper, conical shape

Definition

Pure geometry noun for a 'circular cone' (a 3D shape with a circular base tapering to an apex). Unlike everyday uses, 锥 on its own means awl/point; 圆锥 is the formal math term for the shape.

noun
(geometry) circular cone(engineering) taperconical shape
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 圆锥。
    Zhè ge yuán zhuī de dǐ miàn shì yí gè yuán.
    The base of this cone is a circle.
  • 圆锥。
    Jī qì bù jiàn de yì duān yǒu yí gè yuán zhuī xíng zhuàng.
    One end of the machine part has a tapered shape.
  • 圆锥。
    Shù xué kè shàng wǒ men jì suàn le yuán zhuī de tǐ jī.
    In math class, we calculated the volume of the cone.

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.

圆yuáncircle
锥zhuīcone

“圆” gives circular and “锥” gives cone, together a circular cone.

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 圓; 圆 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéi
Sound part声符shēngfú
員
員yuán圓yuán
Same sound today

This is about the traditional form 圓, not the simplified 圆. In 圓, 囗 surrounds 員, and the inner part of 員 is an old circle picture.

Open 圆 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 锥 →

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