扇形 (shàn xíng) — fan-shaped; (mathematics) sector

Definition

扇 (shàn) means 'fan'; 扇形 literally 'fan-shape'. In everyday use it describes the shape (扇形的窗户); in math it names the circular sector.

adjective
fan-shaped(mathematics) sector

Examples

  • 扇形，。
    Zhè shàn chuāng hu shì shàn xíng de, fēi cháng tè bié.
    This window is fan-shaped, very special.
  • 扇形。
    Lǎo shī ràng wǒ men jì suàn shàn xíng de miàn jī.
    The teacher asked us to calculate the area of the sector.
  • 扇形。
    Guǎng chǎng shàng yǒu yí gè shàn xíng pēn quán.
    There is a fan-shaped fountain in the square.

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.

扇shànfan
形xíngshape

“扇” names fan and “形” names shape, giving the meaning fan-shaped.

Characters in this word

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

扇 puts 戶 (door) over 羽 (feather).

Open 扇 →

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
彡彡shān
Sound part声符shēngfú
井
井jǐng形xíng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

Open 形 →

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