北极点 (běi jí diǎn) — North Pole (geographic point)

Definition

noun

North Pole (geographic point)

北极点。
Tā men jì huà míng nián qù běi jí diǎn tàn xiǎn.
They plan to go explore the North Pole next year.
北极点。
Kē xué jiā zài běi jí diǎn jiàn lì le yán jiū zhàn.
Scientists have set up a research station at the North Pole.
北极点。
Cóng zhōng guó fēi dào běi jí diǎn xū yào hěn cháng shí jiān.
It takes a long time to fly from China to the North Pole.

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.

北极North Pole

偏正Modifier + head

北 means north and 极 means pole, so 北极点 names the geographic point at the north pole.

Characters in this word

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

The form 北 shows two people standing back to back. It originally meant 'back'.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

木及极

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùtree, wood

Sound part声符shēngfú

及

Same sound today

极 pairs 木 (tree, wood) with 及, which provides the sound.

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 點; 点 is its simplified writing.

黑占點

Meaning part形符xíngfú

黑黑hēiblack

Sound part声符shēngfú

占

占zhàn點diǎn(r)

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

The traditional form 點 pairs 黑 (black) with 占 for its sound; the simplified 点 is a later abbreviation.