电动机 (diàn dòng jī) — electric motor

Definition

noun
electric motor
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • 电动机。
    Zhè tái diàn dòng jī de xiào lǜ fēi cháng gāo.
    This electric motor's efficiency is very high.
  • 电动机。
    Gōng chǎng lǐ hěn duō jī qì dōu yòng diàn dòng jī qū dòng.
    Many machines in the factory are driven by electric motors.
  • 电动机。
    Qǐng jiǎn chá yí xià diàn dòng jī de diàn lù lián jiē.
    Please check the circuit connections of the electric motor.

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.

电动electric motion
电diànelectric动dòngmotion
偏正Modifier + head
机jīmachine

“电动” joins electric and motion, and “机” adds machine, naming an electric motor.

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 →

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 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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
木木mùtree; wood
Sound part声符shēngfú
几
几jǐ机jī
Same sound today

The left part is 木 (tree; wood), and the right part 几 gives the sound.

Open 机 →

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