紧凑型 (jǐn còu xíng) — compact (type/model, e.g. of a car, camera, or device)

Definition

A compound adjective meaning 'compact' — used to describe a type or model (e.g. 紧凑型汽车/相机). Compared with the verb 紧凑 ('closely spaced, tight'), this form labels a product category or design style.

adjective
compact (type/model, e.g. of a car, camera, or device)

Examples

  • 紧凑型。
    Zhè liàng jǐn còu xíng qì chē hěn shěng yóu.
    This compact car is very fuel-efficient.
  • 紧凑型。
    Tā mǎi le yì tái jǐn còu xíng xiàng jī.
    He bought a compact camera.
  • 紧凑型。
    jǐn còu xíng Shè jì ràng zhè ge fáng jiān kàn qǐ lái gèng dà.
    The compact design makes this room look bigger.

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.

紧凑compact
紧jǐntight凑còuclose together
联合Side by side
型xíngtype/model

紧 means tight, 凑 means close together, and 型 means type, combining into a compact type.

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 緊; 紧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
臤
臤qiān緊jǐn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緊 pairs 糸 (thread) with 臤 as a sound part; the simplified 紧 is a later shorthand.

Open 紧 →

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 湊; 凑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
奏
奏zòu湊còu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 湊 uses 氵 (water) as the meaning element and 奏 as the sound element. The simplified 凑 is a later shorthand.

Open 凑 →

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
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
刑
刑xíng型xíng
Same sound today

型 pairs 土 (earth) with 刑, which supplies the sound; the shape shows an earthen mold, hence form or pattern.

Open 型 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.