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温差 (wēn chà) — temperature difference

Definition

温差 is the difference between two temperatures (e.g. day vs night). 温度 is a single temperature reading, not a difference.

noun
temperature difference

Examples

  • 温差。
    Zhè ge dì fāng bái tiān hé wǎn shàng de wēn chà bú dà.
    The temperature difference between day and night in this place is not big.
  • 温差，。
    Wēn shì lǐ de wēn chà hěn xiǎo, zhí wù cháng dé hěn hǎo.
    The temperature difference inside the greenhouse is very small, so the plants grow well.
  • 温差，。
    Shān dǐng hé shān jiǎo de wēn chà hěn dà, pá shān shí yào dài hòu yī fu.
    The temperature difference between the mountaintop and the foothills is large; bring thick clothes when hiking.

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.

温wēntemperature
差chàdifference

Temperature identifies what is different, and difference names the gap.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 溫; 温 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 溫 is based on an older form 𥁕, which drew a person bathing in a container full of warm water. The simplified 温 is a later variant.

Open 温 →

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

  • 來來láiwheat
  • 𠂇𠂇𠂇left hand

差 pairs 來 (wheat) with 𠂇 (left hand), showing wheat rubbed in a hand to remove its hull.

Open 差 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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