闭路 (bì lù) — closed circuit (electrical)

Definition

Technical term for a 'closed circuit' — the complete loop electricity flows through, as opposed to 断路 (open/broken circuit). Often seen in compounds like 闭路电视 (CCTV) and 闭路电路.

noun

closed circuit (electrical)

Examples

闭路。
Zhè ge xì tǒng shǐ yòng de shì bì lù diàn lù.
This system uses a closed circuit.
。
bì lù Diàn shì jiān kòng zhe zhěng gè dà lóu.
Closed-circuit TV monitors the entire building.
闭路。
Wǒ men xū yào jiǎn chá bì lù shì fǒu zhèng cháng.
We need to check whether the closed circuit is working properly.

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.

闭bìclose

路lùpath

闭, 'close', and 路, 'path', form a closed path for current.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 閉; 闭 is its simplified writing.

門門méndoor
材材cáimaterial; timber

The traditional form 閉 pairs 門 (door) with 材 (material; timber); the simplified 闭 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the historical component.

Open 闭 →

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

足足zú

Sound part声符shēngfú

各

各gè路lù

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

路 combines 足, a foot, with 各, which supplies the sound.

Open 路 →

Appears in

Technology & Engineering