地线 (dì xiàn) — ground wire (electrical), earth wire

Definition

In electrical contexts, 地线 (dìxiàn) is the safety wire that connects an appliance to earth, diverting fault current to prevent shock. Often paired with 零线 (the neutral wire) in wiring diagrams.

noun
ground wire (electrical)earth wire
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 地线。
    Ān zhuāng diàn qì shí bì xū jiē hǎo dì xiàn.
    You must connect the ground wire properly when installing electrical appliances.
  • 地线，。
    Rú guǒ dì xiàn méi yǒu jiē hǎo, kě néng huì yǒu chù diàn wēi xiǎn.
    If the ground wire is not connected properly, there may be a risk of electric shock.
  • 地线，。
    Gōng chéng shī jiǎn chá le dì xiàn, què rèn tā méi yǒu wèn tí.
    The engineer checked the ground wire and confirmed it was fine.

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.

地dìearth
线xiànwire

地 ('earth') names the kind of 线 ('wire') that connects to ground.

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě地dì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

地 is built from 土 (earth) and 也, which gives its sound.

Open 地 →

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →

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