电机 (diàn jī) — electric motor | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

electric motor

Measure word · 台

电机。
Zhè tái diàn jī gōng lǜ hěn dà.
This motor has high power.
电机。
Gōng chǎng lǐ de diàn jī xū yào dìng qī wéi hù.
The electric motors in the factory need regular maintenance.
电机，。
diàn jī Huài le, jī qì wú fǎ yùn zhuǎn.
The motor is broken; the machine cannot run.

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

机jīmachine

The “电” refers to electricity and “机” to machine, together meaning an electric machine.

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

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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木几机

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree; wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

几

Same sound today

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

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