电容 (diàn róng) — capacitance; capacitor

Definition

电(diàn) + 容(róng). Refers both to the electrical property 'capacitance' and, more commonly in everyday tech talk, to the physical component 'capacitor'.

noun
capacitancecapacitor
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 电容。
    Zhè ge diàn lù de diàn róng xū yào gēng huàn.
    The capacitor in this circuit needs to be replaced.
  • 电容100。
    Zhè ge yuán jiàn de diàn róng shì 100 wēi fǎ.
    The capacitance of this component is 100 microfarads.
  • 电容。
    Gāo diàn róng de cái liào cháng yòng yú diàn zǐ shè bèi.
    High-capacitance materials are often used in electronic devices.

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diànelectricity
容róngcapacity

电 denotes electricity, and 容 denotes capacity, naming electric capacity or a capacitor.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
公
公gōng容róng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 容, the 宀 (roof) part points to holding or containing, and 公 gives the sound.

Open 容 →

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