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零件 (líng jiàn) — part, component

Definition

A concrete, physical piece of a machine or device (a car part, a computer part). Use 部件 for components of a larger system, and 配件 for replacement parts or accessories.

noun
partcomponent
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 零件。
    Wǒ mǎi le yí gè xīn líng jiàn.
    I bought a new part.
  • 零件。
    Tā xū yào huàn yí gè huài de líng jiàn.
    He needs to replace a broken part.
  • 零件。
    Zhè tái diàn nǎo lǐ yǒu hěn duō xiǎo líng jiàn.
    There are many small parts inside this computer.

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.

零língfragmentary
件jiànitem

“零” as fragmentary and “件” as item together mean a small component.

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
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
令
令lìng零líng
Same sound today

In 零, the 雨 part depicts thick raindrops falling from the sky; the 令 part gives the sound.

Open 零 →

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

件 is made of 人, 'man', and 牛, 'cow'.

Open 件 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 5Miscellaneous Objects

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