TongTong
Sign in

轻量级 (qīng liàng jí) — (sports) lightweight weight class; (figurative) lightweight (referring to software, products, etc.)

Definition

In sports it names a weight class (boxing, weightlifting). Figuratively, a 'lightweight' product or software is small, fast, and resource-efficient — like the 'Lite' label in English.

noun
(sports) lightweight weight class(figurative) lightweight (referring to software, products, etc.)

Examples

  • 轻量级。
    Tā zài qīng liàng jí bǐ sài zhōng huò dé le jīn pái.
    He won a gold medal in the lightweight competition.
  • 轻量级，。
    Zhè ge ruǎn jiàn shì qīng liàng jí de, ān zhuāng hěn kuài.
    This software is lightweight and installs quickly.
  • 轻量级。
    qīng liàng jí De shè jì shì hé chū xué zhě.
    Lightweight design is suitable for beginners.

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.

轻量light weight
轻qīnglight量liángweight
偏正Modifier + head
级jíclass

轻量 means light weight, and 级 is a class; together they name a light-weight class.

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 →

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

  • 日日rìsun
  • 東東dōngbag; east

量 has 日 (sun) over 東 (bag; east). Some explanations suggest measuring under the sun or the sun rising in the east, but the exact origin is unclear.

Open 量 →

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 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí級jí
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →
Appears in
Sports & Athletics

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.