操作法 (cāo zuò fǎ) — operating method; user's manual

Definition

noun
operating methoduser's manual
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 操作法。
    Zhè běn cāo zuò fǎ hěn xiáng xì.
    This operating manual is very detailed.
  • 操作法。
    Qǐng àn zhào cāo zuò fǎ cāo zuò jī qì.
    Please operate the machine according to the manual.
  • 操作法。
    Xīn de cāo zuò fǎ yǐ jīng fā bù le.
    The new operating method has been released.

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.

操作operate
操cāocontrol作zuòdo
联合Side by side
法fǎmethod

操作 combines 操, to control or operate, and 作, to do; 法 is method, so together they mean a method of operating.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
喿
喿zào操cāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 手 shows a hand, indicating an action done by hand. The right part 喿 gives the sound.

Open 操 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé法fǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.

Open 法 →

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