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除以 (chú yǐ) — divided by (in mathematics)

Definition

Arithmetic verb meaning 'divided by' — used in expressions like A 除以 B (A divided by B). Different from 除 (chú), which means 'to remove' or 'to eliminate'.

verb
divided by (in mathematics)

Examples

  • 除以。
    Shí chú yǐ èr děng yú wǔ.
    Ten divided by two equals five.
  • 除以。
    Zhè ge shù chú yǐ sān yǐ hòu jiù biàn xiǎo le.
    After this number is divided by three, it becomes smaller.
  • 除以？
    Nǐ néng yòng jì suàn jī suàn yí xià yì chú yǐ bā ma?
    Can you use a calculator to work out one divided by eight?

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
余
余yú除chú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

除 is built from 阜 and 余, with 余 giving the sound.

Open 除 →

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

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

Open 以 →
Appears in
Math

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