列车长 (liè chē zhǎng) — train conductor (chief attendant on a train)

Definition

noun
train conductor (chief attendant on a train)
Measure word · 位

Examples

  • 列车长。
    liè chē zhǎng Zhèng zài jiǎn chá měi gè chē xiāng de ān quán.
    The train conductor is inspecting the safety of each carriage.
  • 列车长，？
    Qǐng wèn liè chē zhǎng, zhè tàng chē jǐ diǎn dào dá zhōng diǎn zhàn?
    Excuse me, conductor, what time does this train arrive at the terminal station?
  • 列车长。
    liè chē zhǎng Zài guǎng bō lǐ tí xǐng chéng kè zhù yì kān guǎn xíng li.
    The train conductor reminded passengers over the PA to keep an eye on their luggage.

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.

列车train
列lièrow车chēvehicle
偏正Modifier + head
长chángchief

列车 (train) and 长 (chief) combine to mean the chief attendant on a train.

Characters in this word

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

列 combines 歹, drawn as skeletal remains, and 刀, a knife, to depict tearing apart.

Open 列 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 車; 车 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 車 was drawn as a carriage seen from above, with wheels on both sides and a shaft at the front; the simplified 车 is a later shorthand.

Open 车 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

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