纬线 (wěi xiàn) — (geography) parallel line of latitude; (textiles) weft (horizontal thread in weaving)

Definition

Two senses: in geography, 纬线 is a parallel of latitude (running east–west); in textiles, it is the weft, the horizontal thread that crosses the warp (经线). Same word, two unrelated fields.

noun
(geography) parallel line of latitude(textiles) weft (horizontal thread in weaving)
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 纬线。
    Zhè tiáo wěi xiàn jīng guò chì dào fù jìn.
    This parallel of latitude passes near the equator.
  • ，纬线。
    Zhī bù shí, wěi xiàn hé jīng xiàn jiāo cuò zài yì qǐ.
    When weaving, the weft and the warp cross each other.
  • ，纬线。
    Zài dì tú shàng, měi tiáo wěi xiàn dōu dài biǎo yí gè wěi dù.
    On a map, each parallel represents a degree of latitude.

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.

纬wěilatitude
线xiànline

'纬' gives latitude or weft, and '线' gives line, together naming a parallel or weft line.

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 緯; 纬 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi緯wěi
Same sound today

The traditional form 緯 has 糸, thread, on the left and 韋 on the right for the sound. The simplified 纬 is a later shorthand.

Open 纬 →

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Open 线 →

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