分站 (fēn zhàn) — substation

Definition

A substation — a smaller facility branched off a main station (power, transit, broadcasting, etc.). The first syllable 分 means 'branch/divided'; it can also be a surname or fraction when read fēn.

noun
substation
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 分站。
    Zhè ge fēn zhàn fù zé gōng diàn.
    This substation is responsible for power supply.
  • 分站。
    Tā men zài fēn zhàn lǐ jiǎn chá shè bèi.
    They are checking equipment inside the substation.
  • 分站。
    Xīn fēn zhàn de jiàn shè yǐ jīng wán chéng le.
    The construction of the new substation has been completed.

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.

分fēnbranch/sub
站zhànstation

'分' means branch or sub- and '站' means station; together they mean a subsidiary station.

Characters in this word

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

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →

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
立立lì
Sound part声符shēngfú
占
占zhàn站zhàn
Same sound today

站 has 立 on the left and 占 on the right; 立 relates to standing, and 占 gives the sound.

Open 站 →

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