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发电 (fā diàn) — to generate electricity; (dated) to send a telegram

Definition

发电 (fādiàn) is the compound verb 'to generate electricity' — typically used for power plants and stations producing 电. Not used for sending a telegram in modern usage.

verb
to generate electricity(dated) to send a telegram

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè ge diàn chǎng yì tiān néng fā hěn duō diàn.
    This power plant can generate a lot of electricity in one day.
  • ，发电。
    Gōng chǎng yīn wèi tíng diàn, jīn tiān méi yǒu fā diàn.
    The factory didn't generate power today because of a power outage.
  • 。
    Qù nián zhè ge diàn zhàn zhī fā guò yí cì diàn.
    Last year this power station only generated electricity once.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

发fāgenerate; send out
电diànelectricity

The first part means to generate or send out, and the second means electricity, so together it describes producing electric power.

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 →

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Energy & Power

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