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核子 (hé zi) — (physics) nucleon (proton or neutron)

Definition

In modern Chinese, 核子 specifically means 'nucleon' — a proton or neutron inside an atomic nucleus — not 'nuclear' in the general sense (use 核 for that).

noun
(physics) nucleon (proton or neutron)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 核子。
    Zhì zǐ hé zhōng zǐ dōu shì hé zi de yì zhǒng.
    Both protons and neutrons are types of nucleons.
  • 核子。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū hé zi de jié gòu.
    Scientists are studying the structure of nucleons.
  • 核子。
    hé zi De zhì liàng jué dìng le yuán zǐ de zhì liàng.
    The mass of nucleons determines the mass of an atom.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài核hé
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

核 pairs 木, a tree, with 亥 to give its sound; it originally named a kind of tree, and its later meanings are borrowed.

Open 核 →

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

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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