发射点 (fā shè diǎn) — launch point (military or aerospace)

Definition

A compound noun meaning the specific place from which a missile, rocket, or similar weapon/vehicle is launched. Pairs naturally with 确定, 安全, 摧毁 as in the examples.

noun
launch point (military or aerospace)

Examples

  • 发射点。
    Huǒ jiàn de fā shè diǎn jiù zài zhè lǐ.
    The rocket's launch point is right here.
  • 发射点。
    Wǒ men xū yào què dìng yí gè ān quán de fā shè diǎn.
    We need to determine a safe launch point.
  • 发射点。
    Dí rén cuī huǐ le wǒ men de fā shè diǎn.
    The enemy destroyed our launch point.

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.

发射launch
发fāsend out射shèshoot
联合Side by side
点diǎnpoint

「发射」 gives the kind of 「点」: a launch point.

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 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

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

In 射, the left part comes from 弓 (bow) and 矢 (arrow), and the right part comes from a hand drawing the bowstring.

Open 射 →

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.

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.

Open 点 →

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