液压 (yè yā) — hydraulic pressure; hydraulic (as in 液压系统)

Definition

noun

hydraulic pressurehydraulic (as in 液压系统)

液压。
Zhè tái jī qì de yè yā xì tǒng fēi cháng wěn dìng.
The hydraulic system of this machine is very stable.
液压。
Shǐ yòng shí yào zhù yì yè yā yā lì bú yào guò gāo.
When using it, make sure the hydraulic pressure is not too high.
液压。
Zhè zhǒng shè bèi kào yè yā qū dòng.
This type of equipment is driven by hydraulics.

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.

压yāpressure

Fluid pressure: 液 names the fluid and 压 names the pressure it produces.

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.

氵夜液

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

夜

Same sound today

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 夜 gives the sound; together they form 液, a liquid, like water.

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

厭土壓

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔdust

Sound part声符shēngfú

厭

厭yàn壓yā

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Appears in