航速 (háng sù) — speed of a ship or aircraft; nautical or aerial speed

Definition

noun
speed of a ship or aircraftnautical or aerial speed

Examples

  • 航速。
    Zhè sōu chuán de háng sù hěn kuài.
    This ship's speed is very fast.
  • 航速900。
    Fēi jī de zuì dà háng sù shì měi xiǎo shí 900 gōng lǐ.
    The plane's maximum speed is 900 kilometers per hour.
  • ，航速。
    Yóu yú fēng dà, lún chuán de háng sù jiàng dī le.
    Due to strong wind, the ship's speed decreased.

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.

航hángnavigation
速sùspeed

航 refers to navigation or flight, and 速 is speed; together they mean the speed of a ship or aircraft.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
舟舟zhōuboat
Sound part声符shēngfú
亢
亢kàng航háng
Same sound today

航 shows a boat with 舟, and 亢 gives the character its sound.

Open 航 →

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
辵辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
束
束shù速sù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

速 pairs 辵, the walking part, with 束, which is used for its sound; the walking part fits the meaning of moving fast.

Open 速 →

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