洲际 (zhōu jì) — intercontinental | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

adjective

intercontinental

。
Tā men yán zhì le yì zhǒng zhōu jì dǎo dàn.
They developed an intercontinental missile.
洲际。
Zhè tiáo zhōu jì háng xiàn zhí dá měi guó.
This intercontinental route goes directly to the US.
洲际。
Zhè cì zhōu jì huì yì yǒu èr shí duō gè guó jiā cān jiā.
This intercontinental conference had over twenty countries participating.

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.

洲zhōucontinent

际jìbetween

洲 is a continent, and 际 is the sense of between, giving intercontinental.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

州

Same sound today

洲 is built from 水 (water) and 州, which gives the sound.

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 際; 际 is its simplified writing.

阝祭際

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

祭

祭jì際⁰jì

Same sound today

The traditional form 際 pairs 阝 with 祭: 阝 gives the meaning and 祭 gives the sound. The simplified 际 is a later shorthand.

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