下划线 (xià huà xiàn) — underscore; underline (the character _)

Definition

noun

underscoreunderline (the character _)

下划线。
Qǐng zài wén jiàn míng hòu miàn jiā yí gè xià huà xiàn.
Please add an underscore after the file name.
下划线。
Zhè ge dān cí xià miàn xū yào huà yì tiáo xià huà xiàn.
You need to draw an underline below this word.
，下划线。
Zài dǎ zì shí, nǐ kě yǐ yòng xià huà xiàn dài tì kòng gé.
When typing, you can use an underscore instead of a space.

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.

划线drawn line

动宾Verb + object

下 means below and 划线 means a drawn line, so it names a line drawn under text.

Characters in this word

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

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

戈

戈gē划huá

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

划 is made of 刀, a knife, and 戈, a weapon. The 戈 part gives the sound.

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

糹泉線

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

泉

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.