前段 (qián duàn) — front part (of a physical object); first part (… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

front part (of a physical object)first part (of an event, period of time)previous paragraph (of a text)

Examples

。
Zhè tiáo lù de qián duàn bǐ jiào píng tǎn.
The front part of this road is relatively flat.
。
Qián duàn wǒ men yì zhí zài tǎo lùn zhè ge wèn tí.
During the first part (recently), we have been discussing this issue.
。
Qǐng zǐ xì yuè dú qián duàn de nèi róng.
Please read the content of the previous paragraph carefully.

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.

前qiánfront/previous

段duànsection

前 ('front/previous') and 段 ('section') combine to mean a front or earlier part.

Characters in this word

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

止止zhǐfoot
舟舟zhōuboat

In the older form of 前, 止 (foot) and 舟 (boat) showed a foot on a boat moving forward; in the current 前 those parts are shortened.

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

殳殳shū

Sound part声符shēngfú

厂

厂chǎng段duàn

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

段's shape shows 殳 as a hammer breaking a stone, with fragments flying off.

Appears in

Order & Arrangement

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