对比度 (duì bǐ dù) — contrast (ratio, e.g. of a display or image)

Definition

A technical term for the contrast ratio of a display, image, or signal — the measurable difference between light and dark. More specific than the everyday noun 对比.

noun
contrast (ratio, e.g. of a display or image)

Examples

  • 对比度。
    Zhè ge xiǎn shì qì de duì bǐ dù hěn gāo.
    This monitor has a very high contrast.
  • 对比度。
    Tiáo zhěng tú piàn de duì bǐ dù néng ràng huà miàn gēng shēng dòng.
    Adjusting the image's contrast can make the picture more vivid.
  • 对比度。
    Hǎo de duì bǐ dù néng ràng wén zì gèng qīng xī.
    Good contrast can make text clearer.

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.

对比contrast
对duìmutually比bǐcompare
偏正Modifier + head
度dùdegree

对比 names the contrast between two things, and 度 gives the degree or ratio of that contrast.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

  • 匕匕bǐ
  • 匕匕bǐ

比 is two 匕 placed side by side. Chu Wan-li treats both as sound parts, while an old reading takes the side-by-side arrangement as putting things next to each other.

Open 比 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.