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基调 (jī diào) — (music) keynote, fundamental key; (figurative) central theme, keynote (of a speech, event, etc.)

Definition

基调 means the 'keynote' — literally the fundamental key a piece of music is built on, and figuratively the central tone or theme (of a speech, event, mood). Used more in writing and formal contexts than everyday talk.

noun
(music) keynotefundamental key(figurative) central themekeynote (of a speech, event, etc.)

Examples

  • 基调C。
    Zhè shǒu qǔ zi de jī diào shì C dà diào.
    The keynote of this piece is C major.
  • 基调。
    Huì yì de jī diào shì hé zuò yǔ fā zhǎn.
    The central theme of the meeting is cooperation and development.
  • 基调。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng què dìng le zhěng chǎng huó dòng de jī diào.
    His speech set the keynote for the entire event.

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.

基jīfundamental base
调tiáotone or key

基 gives a fundamental base, while 调 means tone or key, together suggesting a keynote.

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
其
其qí基jī
Same sound today

The lower 土 means earth, and the upper 其 gives the sound; together they form the idea of a foundation of earth.

Open 基 →

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 調; 调 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu調tiáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 調 pairs 言 (speech) with 周, which shows how it was pronounced. The simplified 调 is a later shorthand.

Open 调 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsMusic

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