三点一 (sān diǎn yī) — (unrecognized form — possibly a transcription error)

Definition

This is not a real Chinese word — it looks like a truncation or typo (probably for 三点一..., e.g. 三点一刻 'quarter past three'). The examples even suggest it should just be 三点.

numeral
(unrecognized form — possibly a transcription error)

Examples

  • 三点一,。
    Zhè ge cí sān diǎn yī bú tài cháng jiàn, kě néng shì gè cuò wù.
    This term ∼ is not very common; it might be a mistake.
  • 三点一?。
    Nǐ xiě de shì sān diǎn yī ma? yīng gāi xiě sān diǎn.
    Did you write ∼? You should write 三点 (three o'clock).
  • 三点一?。
    Zhè ge sān diǎn yī shì shén me yì si? wǒ bú rèn shi.
    What does this ∼ mean? I don't recognize it.

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 →

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 →

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