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轻轨 (qīng guǐ) — light rail

Definition

noun
light rail
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 轻轨。
    Wǒ měi tiān zuò qīng guǐ shàng bān.
    I take the light rail to work every day.
  • 轻轨，。
    Zhè ge chéng shì de qīng guǐ hěn fāng biàn, yě hěn pián yi.
    The light rail in this city is very convenient and also cheap.
  • 轻轨，。
    qīng guǐ Bǐ dì tiě màn yì diǎn r, dàn néng kàn dào gèng duō de fēng jǐng.
    Light rail is a bit slower than the subway, but you can see more scenery.

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.

轻qīnglight
轨guǐrail

轻 describes the kind of rail, giving the sense of a light rail system.

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 輕; 轻 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
巠
巠jīng輕qīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 輕 pairs 車, a carriage, with 巠 to give the sound; it originally named a light carriage. The simplified 轻 is only a later shorthand.

Open 轻 →

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 軌; 轨 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jū
Sound part声符shēngfú
九
九jiǔ軌guǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 軌 pairs 車 (cart) with 九 as a sound part; the simplified 轨 is a later shorthand.

Open 轨 →
Appears in
Trains & Transit

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