望远镜 (wàng yuǎn jìng) — (noun) telescope (single-barrel, used for astronomy or long-distance observation); (noun) binoculars (double-barrel, used for birdwatching, sports, etc.)
Definition
The general word for both telescope and binoculars — English uses two words, but Chinese covers both. Use 部/架 for single-barrel telescopes (e.g., astronomy) and 副 for the double-barrel kind (birdwatching, sports).
noun
telescope (single-barrel, used for astronomy or long-distance observation)binoculars (double-barrel, used for birdwatching, sports, etc.)
Measure word · 付, 副, 部
Examples
- 望远镜，。Tā mǎi le yí bù gāo jí wàng yuǎn jìng, zhuān mén yòng lái guān cè huǒ xīng.He bought a high-end telescope specifically for observing Mars.
- 望远镜。Guān niǎo xū yào dài yí fù hǎo wàng yuǎn jìng.Birdwatching requires bringing a good pair of binoculars.
- 望远镜。Xiǎo shí hou wǒ yòng wàng yuǎn jìng kàn guò yuǎn chù de shān.When I was little, I used a telescope/binoculars to look at the distant mountains.
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.
望远镜 joins 望 meaning look with 远 meaning far, then 镜 meaning lens, giving a lens for looking far.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.