总分 (zǒng fēn) — total score, aggregate score

Definition

noun
total scoreaggregate score

Examples

  • 总分？
    Nǐ de zǒng fēn shì duō shǎo?
    What is your total score?
  • 总分。
    Zhè cì kǎo shì zǒng fēn shì yì bǎi fēn.
    The total score for this exam is 100 points.
  • 总分。
    Tā de zǒng fēn bǐ shàng cì gāo le shí fēn.
    His total score is ten points higher than last time.

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.

总zǒngtotal
分fēnscore

总 (total) + 分 (score) means an aggregate score.

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 總; 总 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
悤
悤cōng總zǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 總 has 糸, a rope, and 悤 as a sound part; the rope part is for binding together. This account is for 總, not for 总.

Open 总 →

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →

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