现场 (xiàn chǎng) — the scene, the site (of an event, crime, accident, etc.); (used adverbially) on the spot, on-site

Definition

现场 is the place WHERE something is happening or just happened — a crime, accident, or live event. More specific than 地点 ('location' in general); pairs with verbs like 检查 to mean 'on the spot'.

noun
the scenethe site (of an event, crime, accident, etc.)(used adverbially) on the spoton-site

Examples

  • 现场。
    Jǐng chá zhèng zài bǎo hù fàn zuì xiàn chǎng.
    The police are protecting the crime scene.
  • 现场。
    Shì gù xiàn chǎng yǐ jīng chǔ lǐ hǎo le.
    The accident scene has been handled.
  • 现场。
    Wǒ men xiàn chǎng jiǎn chá le suǒ yǒu de shè bèi.
    We inspected all the equipment on-site.

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.

现xiànpresent
场chǎngsite

现 (present) and 场 (site) give the place where something is happening.

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 現; 现 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
見
見jiàn現
Same sound today

The traditional form 現 pairs 玉 (jade) with 見 as a sound part; the simplified 现 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 现 →

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 場; 场 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng場chǎng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 場 pairs 土 (earth) with 昜 as a sound part; the simplified 场 is a later abbreviation, so its parts do not have that historical role.

Open 场 →
Appears in
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