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热线 (rè xiàn) — hotline

Definition

热线 is a dedicated communication 'hotline' — a direct phone or service line for urgent or specialized contact (customer service, emergencies, tips). Note 开通 is the verb used when launching or activating such a hotline.

noun
hotline
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • ，热线。
    Rú guǒ nín yǒu wèn tí, qǐng bō dǎ kè hù fú wù rè xiàn.
    If you have a problem, please call the customer service hotline.
  • 热线24。
    Xiāo fáng duì de rè xiàn 24 xiǎo shí dōu yǒu rén jiē tīng.
    The fire department's hotline is answered 24 hours a day.
  • 热线。
    Tā tōng guò zhè tiáo rè xiàn lián xì dào le xiàng mù fù zé rén.
    He contacted the project leader through this hotline.

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.

热rèhot
线xiànline

热 means hot and 线 means line, so the word pictures a line kept hot and ready for calls.

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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Phones & Telecom5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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