电子眼 (diàn zǐ yǎn) — surveillance camera; security camera; CCTV camera

Definition

A colloquial name for a surveillance or traffic camera, literally 'electronic eye'. Used in everyday speech and news; the more technical term is 监控摄像头 (jiānkòng shèxiàngtóu).

noun
surveillance camerasecurity cameraCCTV camera
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 电子眼，。
    Jiē dào shàng ān zhuāng le hěn duō diàn zǐ yǎn, ràng rén gǎn jué gèng ān quán.
    Many surveillance cameras have been installed on the streets, making people feel safer.
  • 电子眼。
    Nà ge xiǎo tōu bèi diàn zǐ yǎn pāi le xià lái.
    That thief was captured on the surveillance camera.
  • 电子眼。
    diàn zǐ yǎn Bāng zhù jǐng fāng kuài sù zhǎo dào le zhào shì chē liàng.
    The traffic camera helped the police quickly find the vehicle that caused the accident.

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.

电子electronic
电diànelectric子zǐsuffix
后缀Suffix
眼yǎneye

电子 means electronic and 眼 means eye; together an eye-like electronic device.

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.

子 is drawn as a baby with a large head, arms stretched out, and legs wrapped in a blanket.

Open 子 →

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
目目mùeye
Sound part声符shēngfú
艮
艮gèn眼yǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

眼 combines 目, which is an eye, with 艮, which gives the character's sound.

Open 眼 →

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