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三点 (sān diǎn) — three o'clock; three points (in scoring, geometry, or a diagram)

Definition

三点 literally means 'three points' but is most often used as the time 'three o'clock' (often shortened to 三点). It can also mean three dots or three marked points on a diagram or in scoring.

noun
three o'clockthree points (in scoring, geometry, or a diagram)

Examples

  • 三点。
    Wǒ men sān diǎn jiàn miàn.
    We meet at three o'clock.
  • 三点。
    Dì tú shàng biāo le sān diǎn.
    Three points are marked on the map.
  • 三点。
    Xià wǔ sān diǎn kāi huì.
    The meeting is at three in the afternoon.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

三 is drawn as three parallel strokes, like 一 with one stroke and 二 with two.

Open 三 →

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
黑黑hēiblack
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn點diǎn(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.

Open 点 →
Appears in
Numbers & CountingTime of Day

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