纵队 (zòng duì) — column (formation or data arrangement); file

Definition

noun

column (formation or data arrangement)file

Measure word · 列

纵队。
Zhàn shì men pái chéng liǎng liè zòng duì qián jìn.
The soldiers formed two columns and marched forward.
纵队。
Qǐng jiāng shù jù àn zòng duì pái liè.
Please arrange the data by column.
纵队，。
Xué shēng zhàn chéng yí zòng duì, děng dài lǎo shī.
The students stood in a file, waiting for the teacher.

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.

纵zònglengthwise

队duìformation

“纵” gives the lengthwise arrangement and “队” is a formation, hence a column or file.

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 縱; 纵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糸糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

從

從cóng縱zòng

Same sound today

The traditional form 縱 pairs the 糸 part with 從 as a sound part; the simplified 纵 is a shorthand, and its right side is not the historical sound part.

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 隊; 队 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阜阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

㒸

㒸㒸隊duì

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 隊 has 阜 as the meaning part and 㒸 as the sound part.

Appears in