解法 (jiě fǎ) — solution (to a math problem)

Definition

noun

solution (to a math problem)

Measure word · 个

解法。
Zhè ge fāng chéng yǒu hěn duō zhǒng jiě fǎ.
This equation has many kinds of solutions.
解法。
Wǒ men xū yào zhǎo dào zhè ge wèn tí de jiě fǎ.
We need to find the solution to this problem.
解法。
Zhè dào tí de jiě fǎ hěn jiǎn dān.
The solution to this problem is very simple.

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.

The 解 (solve) narrows the 法 (method) to the way of solving a problem.

Characters in this word

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

角刀牛解

解 shows 刀 (knife) separating 角 (horn) from 牛 (cow), giving the picture of cutting up an ox.

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

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

廌廌zhìa type of antelope or caprid

Sound part声符shēngfú

盍

盍hé法fǎ

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

法's older form combined 氵 (water) and 廌 (a type of antelope or caprid), with 盍 as a sound part; later 廌 was dropped.