TongTong
Sign in

无线电 (wú xiàn diàn) — radio

Definition

noun
radio
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • 无线电。
    Wǒ zài tīng wú xiàn diàn.
    I am listening to the radio.
  • 无线电。
    wú xiàn diàn Xìn hào bù hǎo.
    The radio signal is bad.
  • 无线电。
    Tā mǎi le yì tái wú xiàn diàn.
    He bought a radio.

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.

无线wireless
无wúwithout线xiànwire
动宾Verb + object
电diànelectricity

“无” (without) and “线” (wire) form “无线”, which describes “电” (electricity), giving radio.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 無; 无 is its simplified writing.

For the simplified 无, the story is about 無. 無 drew a person dancing with ox tails held in both hands to pray for rain, then was borrowed for 'have no', so the picture does not explain that meaning.

Open 无 →

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →
Appears in
Phones & Telecom5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.