侧线 (cè xiàn) — (railway) siding; (biology) lateral line

Definition

A specialist noun with two unrelated senses: a railway siding (a short track for parking or loading trains), and the lateral line — the sensory organ running along a fish's body.

noun
(railway) siding(biology) lateral line
Measure word · 条

Examples

  • 侧线。
    Huǒ chē tíng zài cè xiàn shàng.
    The train stopped on the siding.
  • 侧线。
    Zhè tiáo cè xiàn yòng yú huò wù zhuāng xiè.
    This siding is used for cargo loading and unloading.
  • 侧线。
    Yú de cè xiàn kě yǐ bāng zhù tā men gǎn zhī zhōu wéi de huán jìng.
    The lateral line of fish helps them perceive their surroundings.

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.

侧cèside
线xiànline

“侧” means side and “线” means line; it denotes a line at the side, such as a railway siding or lateral line.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 側; 侧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
則
則zé側cè
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 側 has 亻, a person, and uses 則 to show its sound. The simplified 侧 is a later shorthand.

Open 侧 →

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
泉
泉quán線xiàn
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.

Open 线 →

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