闸刀 (zhá dāo) — knife switch (electrical)

Definition

A knife switch, an old-style electrical on/off switch with a hinged metal blade. Now rare, mostly seen in industrial or vintage contexts.

noun
knife switch (electrical)
Measure word · 把
Easily confused

Examples

  • 闸刀。
    Diàn gōng zhèng zài ān zhuāng zhá dāo.
    The electrician is installing a knife switch.
  • 闸刀。
    Lǎo shì de zhá dāo kāi guān xiàn zài hěn shǎo yòng le.
    Old-style knife switches are rarely used now.
  • 闸刀。
    Shǐ yòng zhá dāo shí bì xū zhù yì ān quán.
    When using a knife switch, you must be careful about safety.

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.

闸zháswitch
刀dāoblade

闸刀 names a switch blade: 闸 gives the switch idea, 刀 the blade shape.

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 閘; 闸 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méngate
Sound part声符shēngfú
甲
甲jiǎ閘zhá
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 閘 pairs 門 (gate) with 甲, which gives the sound; the simplified 闸 is not the form described here.

Open 闸 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 刀 comes from a simple picture of a knife.

Open 刀 →

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