一元 (yī yuán) — unitary; unary; mono- (used in academic compounds)

Definition

Academic prefix meaning 'unitary / single' (一元论 monism, 一次方程 a linear equation). Pairs with technical terms rather than standing alone in everyday speech.

adjective
unitaryunarymono- (used in academic compounds)

Examples

  • 一元。
    Zhé xué kè shàng wǒ men tǎo lùn le yī yuán lùn.
    In philosophy class we discussed monism.
  • 一元。
    Zhè dào tí shì yī yuán yí cì fāng chéng.
    This problem is a linear equation in one variable.
  • 一元。
    Gōng sī jìn xíng le yī yuán huà guǎn lǐ.
    The company implemented unified management.

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.

一yīone
元yuánunit

一 gives the sense of single, and 元 points to a unit or primary element, together meaning unitary.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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

The shape 元 shows a figure with two lines for a head, one connected to the body and one above it, emphasizing the head.

Open 元 →

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