技工 (jì gōng) — skilled worker (in technical or mechanical trad…

Definition

noun

skilled worker (in technical or mechanical trades)mechanictechnician

Measure word · 个

技工。
Tā zài gōng chǎng lǐ dāng jì gōng yǐ jīng shí nián le.
He has been working as a skilled worker in the factory for ten years.
技工。
Zhè liàng chē de jì gōng míng tiān cái néng lái xiū.
The mechanic for this car won't be able to come until tomorrow.
技工。
Hěn duō jì gōng dōu xué huì le cāo zuò xīn jī qì.
Many technicians have learned how to operate the new machines.

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.

技 points to skill or technique, while 工 denotes a worker, together meaning a skilled worker.

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.

扌支技

Meaning part形符xíngfú

扌Written in full as手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

支

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

技 pairs 扌 (hand) with 支, which gives the sound. The hand part fits the idea of skill or ability done with the hands.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 工 is a picture of a bladed tool used to plow ground or mark a border; some read it as a carpenter's square.

Appears in