录相机 (lù xiàng jī) — video recorder, VCR

Definition

noun
video recorderVCR
Measure word · 台
Easily confused

Examples

  • 录相机？
    Zhè tái lù xiàng jī hái néng yòng ma?
    Can this VCR still be used?
  • 录相机。
    Tā yòng lù xiàng jī lù xià le nà chǎng diàn yǐng.
    She recorded that movie with the video recorder.
  • 录相机，。
    Xiàn zài hěn shǎo yǒu rén mǎi lù xiàng jī le, dà jiā dōu yòng wǎng luò.
    Nowadays few people buy VCRs; everyone uses the internet.

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.

录相record images
录lùrecord相xiāngimage
动宾Verb + object
机jīmachine

录 means to record and 相 refers to images, while 机 is a machine, together forming a recording device.

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 錄; 录 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
彔
彔lù錄lù
Same sound today

The traditional form 錄 combines 金 (metal) with 彔, which gives the sound; the simplified 录 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 录 →

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

In 相, 目 is an eye and 木 is a tree, showing an eye looking at a tree; this originally meant “to observe.”

Open 相 →

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
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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