缆索 (lǎn suǒ) — cable; thick rope; hawser

Definition

A heavy-duty cable or hawser — thicker and stronger than an ordinary 绳 (rope), used in engineering, bridges, and ships.

noun

cablethick ropehawser

Measure word · 根

缆索。
Zhè zuò qiáo shì yòng lǎn suǒ jiàn zào de.
This bridge was built with cables.
缆索。
Gōng rén yòng lǎn suǒ bǎ huò wù lā shàng lái.
The workers pulled the cargo up with a cable.
缆索。
Chuán shàng de lǎn suǒ fēi cháng jiē shi.
The hawser on the ship is very sturdy.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

缆 means cable and 索 means rope; the word refers to a thick rope or cable.

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 纜; 缆 is its simplified writing.

糹覽纜

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mìsilk

Sound part声符shēngfú

覽

覽lǎn纜

Same sound today

The traditional form 纜 has 糹 (silk) beside 覽, which gives the sound; the simplified 缆 is a later shorthand.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

索 combines 糸 (thread) and 𣎳 (stripping fibres from a hemp stalk), showing threads or rope being pulled out from a fabric.