镜像 (jìng xiàng) — mirror image | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal/technical word for 'mirror image', used in optics, computing, and imaging. 镜像 emphasizes the exact reflected copy as a technical concept, unlike the everyday reflection (反射).

noun

mirror image

Examples

镜像。
Zhè ge ruǎn jiàn de jìng xiàng yǐ jīng xià zài hǎo le.
The mirror image of this software has been downloaded.
镜像。
Jìng zi lǐ de jìng xiàng hé zhēn rén yì mú yí yàng.
The mirror image in the mirror is exactly the same as the real person.
，镜像。
Zài guāng xué zhōng, jìng xiàng shì zhǐ wù tǐ tōng guò fǎn shè xíng chéng de xiàng.
In optics, a mirror image refers to the image formed by reflection of an object.

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.

镜 'mirror' specifies the kind of 像 'image', meaning a reflected image.

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 鏡; 镜 is its simplified writing.

金竟鏡

Meaning part形符xíngfú

金金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

竟

竟jìng鏡jìng

Same sound today

The traditional form 鏡 puts 金, metal, next to 竟 to give the sound. The simplified 镜 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

亻象像

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

象

Same sound today

像 uses 亻, the side form of 人 (person), with 象 giving the sound.

Appears in

Computers & Internet Science (General)

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