光度 (guāng dù) — luminosity (physics) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

luminosity (physics)

光度。
Zhè kē héng xīng de guāng dù fēi cháng gāo.
This star's luminosity is very high.
光度。
Kē xué jiā cè liáng le tài yáng de guāng dù.
Scientists measured the sun's luminosity.
光度。
Zhè ge dēng pào de guāng dù bú gòu liàng.
This light bulb's luminosity is not bright enough.

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.

光度 is the 度, degree, of 光, light, so it names luminosity.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape 光 places 火 (fire) above 卩 (a kneeling person), showing fire over the head and the shining of light.

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

石

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

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.