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短程 (duǎn chéng) — short distance, short range

Definition

A formal/literary word for 'short distance' or 'short range', used in technical or written contexts (missiles, flights, calls). Often paired with nouns like 飞行, 导弹, or 通话.

noun
short distanceshort range

Examples

  • 短程。
    Zhè jià fēi jī de duǎn chéng fēi xíng néng lì hěn qiáng.
    This plane has strong short-range flight capability.
  • 短程。
    Wǒ men zhī jìn xíng le yí cì duǎn chéng tōng huà.
    We only had one short-distance call.
  • 短程200。
    Zhè zhǒng dǎo dàn de duǎn chéng shì 200 gōng lǐ.
    The short range of this missile is 200 kilometers.

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.

短duǎnshort
程chéngdistance

短 says short and 程 says distance, so a short range.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
矢矢shǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu短duǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

短 is built from 矢 and 豆. 豆 is used for its sound, while 矢 is the component linked to the meaning.

Open 短 →

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
禾禾hégrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
呈
呈chéng程chéng
Same sound today

程 is made from 禾 (grain) and 呈 (pronounced chéng); the evidence gives measurements.

Open 程 →
Appears in
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