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消声器 (xiāo shēng qì) — silencer, muffler (device that reduces noise, e.g. on a vehicle or firearm)

Definition

noun
silencermuffler (device that reduces noise, e.g. on a vehicle or firearm)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 消声器。
    Tā gěi qì chē ān zhuāng le yí gè xīn de xiāo shēng qì.
    He installed a new muffler on the car.
  • 消声器，。
    Zhè bǎ qiāng zhuāng yǒu xiāo shēng qì, shēng yīn hěn xiǎo.
    This gun has a silencer, so the sound is very quiet.
  • 消声器，。
    Xiū chē shī fu shuō xiāo shēng qì huài le, xū yào gēng huàn.
    The mechanic said the muffler is broken and needs replacement.

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.

消声silence
消xiāoeliminate声shēngsound
动宾Verb + object
器qìdevice

消声 gives the idea of quieting sound and 器 gives a device, so a noise-reducing device.

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
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
肖
肖xiào消xiāo
Same sound today

消 has 氵 (water) beside 肖. The water part connects to putting out or making something vanish, and 肖 gives the sound.

Open 消 →

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 聲; 声 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
殸
殸qìng聲shēng
Same sound today

The traditional form 聲 pairs 耳 (ear) with 殸 as a sound part; the simplified 声 is a shorthand and does not show those original parts.

Open 声 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The origin of 器 is uncertain; one traditional account reads the whole shape as a scene of guarding over four vessels.

Open 器 →
Appears in
Miscellaneous Objects

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