激光束 (jī guāng shù) — laser beam | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

laser beam

Measure word · 束

激光束。
Kē xué jiā yòng jī guāng shù jìn xíng shí yàn.
Scientists use laser beams to conduct experiments.
激光束。
Zhè dào jī guāng shù fēi cháng qiáng dà.
This laser beam is very powerful.
激光束。
Tā men yòng jī guāng shù qiē gē jīn shǔ.
They use laser beams to cut metal.

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.

激光laser

偏正Modifier + head

激光 means stimulated light, and 束 means a bundle or beam, giving a laser beam.

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.

氵敫激

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

敫

敫jiǎo激jī

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

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

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

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The shape of 束 comes from a drawing of a bag tied at both ends.