整除 (zhěng chú) — to divide exactly (in mathematics) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

verb

to divide exactly (in mathematics)

Examples

整除。
Sān néng zhěng chú jiǔ.
Three can divide nine exactly.
整除。
Zhè ge shù bù néng bèi èr zhěng chú.
This number cannot be evenly divided by two.
整除。
Liù zhěng chú sān de jié guǒ shì zhěng shù.
The result of six divided by three is an integer.

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.

“整” exact and “除” divide form the term for division that comes out exactly.

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.

敕正整

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

正

正zhèng整zhěng

Same sound today

整 pairs 敕 as the meaning side with 正 as the sound side.

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

阜阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

余

余yú除chú

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

除 is built from 阜 and 余, with 余 giving the sound.

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