电扇 (diàn shàn) — electric fan

Definition

noun
electric fan
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • ，电扇。
    Tiān qì tài rè le, qǐng bǎ diàn shàn dǎ kāi.
    It's too hot, please turn on the electric fan.
  • 电扇，。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì tái xīn diàn shàn, shēng yīn hěn xiǎo.
    I bought a new electric fan, and it's very quiet.
  • 电扇。
    Shuì jiào qián bié wàng le guān diàn shàn.
    Don't forget to turn off the electric fan before going to bed.

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
扇shànfan

电 supplies power, and 扇 is the fan, giving an electric fan.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

扇 puts 戶 (door) over 羽 (feather).

Open 扇 →

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