载波 (zài bō) — carrier wave (in telecommunications and electronics)

Definition

A technical noun for the 'carrier wave' — the steady high-frequency signal that carries information (audio, data) in radio/telecommunications. Don't confuse 载 (zài, here) with 载 zǎi 'to load / to record'.

noun
carrier wave (in telecommunications and electronics)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 载波。
    zài bō Shì wú xiàn diàn tōng xìn zhōng chuán shū xìn hào de jī chǔ.
    The carrier wave is the basis for transmitting signals in radio communication.
  • 载波。
    Tiáo zhì qì jiāng yīn pín xìn hào dié jiā dào zài bō shàng.
    The modulator superimposes the audio signal onto the carrier wave.
  • 载波。
    Jiē shōu duān xū yào cóng zài bō zhōng jiě tiáo chū yuán shǐ xìn xī.
    The receiving end needs to demodulate the original information from the carrier wave.

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.

载zǎicarry
波bōwave

载 means carry, and 波 means wave, giving the sense of a carrier wave.

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 載; 载 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūchariot
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢦏
𢦏𢦏載zài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 載 has 車, a chariot, and 𢦏 gives the sound; 载 is its simplified form.

Open 载 →

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
皮
皮pí波bō
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 氵 is water, and the right side 皮 gives the sound.

Open 波 →

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