磁力 (cí lì) — magnetic force (physics) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

magnetic force (physics)

Examples

磁力。
Liǎng kuài cí tiě zhī jiān de cí lì hěn qiáng.
The magnetic force between two magnets is very strong.
磁力。
Cí xuán fú liè chē lì yòng cí lì xíng shǐ.
Maglev trains use magnetic force to travel.
磁力。
Kē xué jiā zài yán jiū rú hé tí gāo cí lì de qiáng dù.
Scientists are studying how to increase the strength of magnetic force.

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.

磁címagnetic

磁 specifies the kind of 力, yielding magnetic force.

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.

石兹磁

Meaning part形符xíngfú

石石shírock; stone

Sound part声符shēngfú

兹

兹zī磁cí

Same sound today

磁 is built from 石, meaning rock or stone, and 兹, which gives the sound.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Appears in

Physics & Chemistry

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