斜面 (xié miàn) — inclined plane | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

inclined plane

Measure word · 个

斜面。
Zhè ge xié miàn de qīng xié jiǎo shì sān shí dù.
The angle of this inclined plane is thirty degrees.
斜面。
Lì yòng xié miàn kě yǐ shěng lì.
Using an inclined plane can save effort.
斜面。
Wǒ men cè liáng le xié miàn de cháng dù hé gāo dù.
We measured the length and height of the inclined plane.

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.

斜 'slanted' and 面 'surface' combine for an inclined plane.

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.

斗余斜

Meaning part形符xíngfú

斗斗dòuladle/dipper

Sound part声符shēngfú

余

余yú斜xié

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

斜 pairs 斗, a ladle or dipper, with 余 for sound; the idea of scooping or drawing out was extended to mean a slant.

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

面 originally drew a man’s face, with one eye exaggerated; the horizontal stroke was added later.