舵轮 (duò lún) — steering wheel (of a ship)

Definition

noun

steering wheel (of a ship)

Measure word · 个

舵轮，。
Chuán zhǎng wò zhe duò lún, xiǎo xīn dì jià shǐ chuán.
The captain held the steering wheel and carefully steered the ship.
舵轮，。
Zhè sōu chuán de duò lún hěn jiù le, xū yào gēng huàn.
This ship's steering wheel is very old and needs to be replaced.
舵轮，。
Shuǐ shǒu zhàn zài duò lún qián, zhù shì zhe qián fāng.
The sailor stood in front of the steering wheel, looking ahead.

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.

舵 points to steering a ship, and 轮 is the wheel used for that.

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.

舟它舵

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

它

它tā舵duò

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

舵 pairs 舟, a boat, with 它, which gives the sound.

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 輪; 轮 is its simplified writing.

車侖輪

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūcarriage

Sound part声符shēngfú

侖

侖lún輪lún

Same sound today

The traditional form 輪 uses 車, a carriage, and 侖 for the sound; the simplified 轮 is a later shorthand.