火箭 (huǒ jiàn) — rocket | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A vehicle propelled by combustion, used to launch satellites or spacecraft. Unlike 导弹 (missile), 火箭 is not designed as a weapon.

noun

rocket

Measure word · 枚

Examples

火箭。
Yì méi huǒ jiàn chéng gōng fā shè le.
A rocket was successfully launched.
火箭。
Kē xué jiā zhèng zài shè jì zài rén huǒ jiàn.
Scientists are designing a manned rocket.
火箭。
Zhè méi huǒ jiàn de rán liào shì yè qīng.
The fuel of this rocket is liquid hydrogen.

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.

"火" and "箭" combine to mean a fire-powered arrow, i.e. a rocket.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

火 is a simple drawing of a fire, with flames shown rising upward.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

竹前箭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

前

前qián箭jiàn

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 竹 part points to bamboo, the material of arrows; the 前 part gives the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 HSK 2.0 Level 6 Space Exploration 5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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