监控器 (jiān kòng qì) — monitor; surveillance camera

Definition

A device that watches and records a place or activity, like a surveillance camera or computer monitor. Often used in security and IT contexts, where 监视器 (jiānshìqì) overlaps as a near-synonym but leans more toward passive observation.

noun
monitorsurveillance camera
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 监控器
    Zhè ge jiān kòng qì shì xīn de.
    This monitor is new.
  • 监控器
    Chāo shì mén kǒu yǒu yí gè jiān kòng qì.
    There is a surveillance camera at the supermarket entrance.
  • 监控器
    Wǒ men xū yào ān zhuāng yí gè jiān kòng qì.
    We need to install a monitor.

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.

监控monitor
jiānsupervisekòngcontrol
联合Coordinate
device

监 means supervise and 控 means control; with 器 meaning device, 监控器 is a device that supervises and controls.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 監; 监 is its simplified writing.

  • a person with an emphasized eye
  • mǐncontainer

The traditional form 監 shows 臥, a person with an emphasized eye, looking into 皿, a container; the simplified 监 is a later shorthand.

Open 监 →

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
Written in full asshǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
kōngkòng
Same sound today

The left part is 手 written as 扌, showing a hand; the right part 空 gives the sound.

Open 控 →

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

The origin of 器 is uncertain; one traditional account reads the whole shape as a scene of guarding over four vessels.

Open 器 →

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