灵敏度 (líng mǐn dù) — sensitivity; response rate

Definition

noun
sensitivityresponse rate

Examples

  • 灵敏度。
    Zhè tái shè bèi de líng mǐn dù hěn gāo.
    This device has high sensitivity.
  • 灵敏度。
    Tā de tīng lì líng mǐn dù fēi cháng hǎo.
    Her hearing sensitivity is very good.
  • 灵敏度。
    Jī qì de líng mǐn dù zài cè shì zhōng biǎo xiàn yōu xiù.
    The machine's response rate performed excellently during the test.

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.

灵敏sensitive
灵língquick敏mǐnsensitive
联合Side by side
度dùdegree

灵敏 means quick to respond and 度 gives the degree, together naming sensitivity.

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 靈; 灵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
霝
霝líng靈líng
Same sound today

This note describes the traditional form 靈, not the simplified 灵: 霝 gives the sound, and 玉 (jade) is the meaning part.

Open 灵 →

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
攴攴pūhand; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
每
每měi敏mǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

敏 pairs 每, which gives the sound, with 攴, a hand/action part.

Open 敏 →

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
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →

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