感应 (gǎn yìng) — (physics) induction (electromagnetic or electrostatic); response (to a stimulus); reaction; (emotional) rapport; affinity; mutual resonance

Definition

Literally 'feel-and-respond': covers both physical induction (electromagnetic/electrostatic) and a figurative sense of natural, unspoken emotional rapport between people.

noun
(physics) induction (electromagnetic or electrostatic)response (to a stimulus)reaction(emotional) rapportaffinitymutual resonance

Examples

  • 感应
    Diàn cí gǎn yìng shì xiàn dài diàn lì jì shù de hé xīn yuán lǐ zhī yī.
    Electromagnetic induction is one of the core principles of modern electrical technology.
  • 感应
    Zhí wù duì guāng xiàn biàn huà yǒu líng mǐn de gǎn yìng.
    Plants have a sensitive response to changes in light.
  • 感应
    Tā men zhī jiān yǒu yì zhǒng qí miào de gǎn yìng, wú xū yán yǔ jiù néng lǐ jiě duì fāng.
    There is a wonderful rapport between them — they understand each other without needing words.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

yìngrespond

The meanings of 感 and 应 are parallel, giving a response or mutual reaction.

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

感 pairs 咸, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart, for feeling.

Open 感 →

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 應; 应 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
yìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 應 pairs 心 (heart) with 䧹 as a sound part; the simplified 应 is a later shorthand and its parts are not the original components.

Open 应 →

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