终点站 (zhōng diǎn zhàn) — terminal station; terminus

Definition

The final stop of a bus, subway, or train line — literally 'endpoint station'. Pair with 起点站 ('starting station') to mark the two ends of a route.

noun
terminal stationterminus
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 终点站
    Zhè tàng gōng jiāo chē de zhōng diǎn zhàn shì huǒ chē zhàn.
    The terminal stop of this bus is the train station.
  • 终点站
    Wǒ men dào zhōng diǎn zhàn le, qǐng dài hǎo suí shēn wù pǐn.
    We have arrived at the terminus; please take your belongings.
  • 终点站
    Qǐng wèn, zhè liè dì tiě de zhōng diǎn zhàn shì nǎ yí zhàn?
    Excuse me, which station is the terminal of this subway line?

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.

终点end point
偏正Modifier + head
zhànstation

终点 means the end point, and 站 means station.

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 終; 终 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Written in full as
Sound part声符shēngfú
dōngzhōng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 終 pairs 糸 (a cord) with 冬 as a sound part; the simplified 终 is a later shorthand. An older form showed a knot at the end of a cord.

Open 终 →

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhàndiǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhànzhàn
Same sound today

站 has 立 on the left and 占 on the right; 立 relates to standing, and 占 gives the sound.

Open 站 →

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