供电 (gōng diàn) — to supply electricity; to provide electrical po… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Refers to the supply of electrical power by a provider to users — a technical/formal term, not the act of plugging something in. Usually used in contexts like power grids, systems, or supply interruptions.

verb

to supply electricityto provide electrical power

Examples

。
Zhè ge dì qū zuì jìn gòng le jǐ cì diàn dōu chū le wèn tí.
This area recently supplied electricity several times but had problems each time.
。
Chéng shì gōng diàn xì tǒng xū yào dìng qī wéi hù.
The city's power supply system needs regular maintenance.
供电。
Zhè cì tái fēng dǎo zhì quán chéng gōng diàn zhōng duàn.
This typhoon caused the power supply to be cut off across the city.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

电diànelectricity

供 (supply) + 电 (electricity) = to supply electricity.

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.

亻共供

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

共

共gòng供gòng

Same sound today

供 is made of 亻, a person, and 共, which gives the sound gòng.

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雨雨yǔrain

Sound part声符shēngfú

申

申shēn電diàn

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

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Appears in

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