核电 (hé diàn) — nuclear power (electricity generated by nuclear…

Definition

noun

nuclear power (electricity generated by nuclear energy)

核电。
Zhōng guó zhèng zài dà lì fā zhǎn hé diàn.
China is vigorously developing nuclear power.
核电，。
hé diàn Shì yì zhǒng qīng jié de néng yuán, dàn ān quán wèn tí yě hěn zhòng yào.
Nuclear power is a clean energy source, but safety issues are also important.
。
Zhè zuò hé diàn zhàn yǐ jīng yùn xíng le èr shí nián.
This nuclear power plant has been operating for twenty years.

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.

核hénuclear

电diànelectricity

核 means nuclear and 电 means electricity, so the word means electricity from nuclear energy.

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.

木亥核

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree

Sound part声符shēngfú

亥

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.

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

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.