曲轴 (qū zhóu) — crankshaft

Definition

noun
crankshaft
Measure word · 根

Examples

  • 曲轴。
    Zhè ge fā dòng jī de qū zhóu xū yào gēng huàn le.
    The crankshaft of this engine needs to be replaced.
  • 曲轴。
    Jì shī jiǎn chá le qū zhóu de mó sǔn qíng kuàng.
    The technician checked the wear condition of the crankshaft.
  • 曲轴。
    Gōng chǎng shǐ yòng jīng mì jī chuáng jiā gōng qū zhóu.
    The factory uses precision machine tools to process crankshafts.

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.

曲qǔbent
轴zhóushaft

“曲” adds bent, and “轴” gives shaft or axle, making a bent shaft.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

曲 is drawn as a bent object, matching the meaning 'bend'.

Open 曲 →

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 軸; 轴 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcart, carriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
由
由yóu軸zhóu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軸 pairs 車 (cart) with a part that gives the sound, 由; it pictures an axle passing through a cartwheel. The simplified 轴 is a later abbreviation.

Open 轴 →

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