引信 (yǐn xìn) — detonator; fuse (for explosives)

Definition

noun

detonatorfuse (for explosives)

Measure word · 个

引信。
Zhè ge zhà dàn de yǐn xìn yǐ jīng zhuāng hǎo le.
The detonator of this bomb is already installed.
引信。
Shì bīng xiǎo xīn dì jiǎn chá yǐn xìn shì fǒu zhèng cháng.
The soldier carefully checked whether the fuse was working.
引信。
Jiù shì shǒu liú dàn de yǐn xìn hěn róng yì shòu cháo.
The fuse of old-fashioned grenades easily gets damp.

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.

引yǐnignite/lead

信xìnsignal/fuse

引 (ignite/lead) specifies the purpose of 信 (signal/fuse), naming the detonating device.

Characters in this word

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

引 is made from 弓, a bow, and 丿, a short slant stroke added at the place where the string is pulled, marking the action of drawing or pulling.

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

言言yánwords

Sound part声符shēngfú

人

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

信 pairs 人 as the sound part with 言 (words) as the meaning part.

Appears in