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换位 (huàn wèi) — (mathematics) permutation; (linguistics) transposition, metathesis

Definition

A technical term meaning 'permutation' in math (rearrangement of elements) and 'transposition / metathesis' in linguistics (sound or syllable reordering). Not used in everyday speech.

noun
(mathematics) permutation(linguistics) transpositionmetathesis

Examples

  • 换位。
    Shù xué zhōng de huàn wèi shì zhǐ yuán sù de wèi zhì jiāo huàn.
    In mathematics, transposition refers to the exchange of positions of elements.
  • ，换位。
    Yǔ yán xué zhōng, huàn wèi kě yǐ zhǐ yīn jié de shùn xù biàn huàn.
    In linguistics, transposition can refer to the reordering of syllables.
  • ，换位。
    Zài jī yīn yán jiū zhōng, huàn wèi shì yí gè zhòng yào gài niàn.
    In genetic research, transposition is an important concept.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

换huànswap
位wèiposition

换 means swap, and 位 is position, so it is changing places.

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 換; 换 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
奐
奐huàn換huàn
Same sound today

For the traditional form 換, 手 is the hand part and 奐 gives the sound; this note is about 換, not the simplified 换.

Open 换 →

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
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
立
立lì位wèi
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

位 combines 人 (man), related to people, with 立, which gives the sound. It was often simply written as 立.

Open 位 →
Appears in
LanguageMath

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