单摆 (dān bǎi) — simple pendulum (physics) | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A physics term for a 'simple pendulum' — an idealized mass on a string used to study harmonic motion. Don't confuse with 钟摆, which refers to a pendulum inside a working clock.

noun

simple pendulum (physics)

Examples

单摆。
dān bǎi De zhōu qī yǔ bǎi cháng yǒu guān.
The period of a simple pendulum is related to its length.
，单摆。
Zài wù lǐ kè shàng, lǎo shī yòng dān bǎi yǎn shì le jiǎn xié yùn dòng.
In physics class, the teacher used a simple pendulum to demonstrate simple harmonic motion.
单摆。
Zhè ge shí yàn xū yào cè liáng dān bǎi bǎi dòng yí cì de shí jiān.
This experiment requires measuring the time for a simple pendulum to swing once.

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.

“单” means simple and “摆” means swing, together they name a simple pendulum.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 單; 单 is its simplified writing.

The form 單 originally pictured a Y-shaped wooden stick with two stones on top.

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 擺; 摆 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

手手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

罷

罷bà擺bǎi

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

The traditional form 擺 has 手 (hand) with 罷 giving the sound bà; the simplified 摆 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

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