电力线 (diàn lì xiàn) — power line

Definition

noun
power line
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 电力线。
    Zhè tiáo xīn de diàn lì xiàn jiàn hǎo le.
    This new power line has been built.
  • 电力线。
    Gōng rén zhèng zài xiū lǐ nà tiáo diàn lì xiàn.
    Workers are repairing that power line.
  • 电力线。
    diàn lì xiàn Shàng de niǎo cháo kě néng huì yǐn qǐ duǎn lù.
    Bird nests on the power line may cause a short circuit.

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.

电力electric power
电diànelectricity力lìpower
偏正Modifier + head
线xiànline

电力 (electric power) travels along a 线 (line), i.e. a power line.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →

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 →

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