变速箱 (biàn sù xiāng) — gearbox, transmission

Definition

noun
gearboxtransmission
Measure word · 台

Examples

  • 变速箱，。
    Zhè liàng chē de biàn sù xiāng huài le, xū yào xiū lǐ.
    The gearbox of this car is broken and needs repair.
  • 变速箱。
    Zì dòng biàn sù xiāng ràng jià shǐ biàn de gèng qīng sōng.
    An automatic transmission makes driving easier.
  • 变速箱。
    Wéi xiū biàn sù xiāng xū yào zhuān yè de jì shù.
    Repairing a gearbox requires professional skills.

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.

变速change speed
变biànchange速sùspeed
动宾Verb + object
箱xiāngbox

变速 covers changing speed, while 箱 is the box for the gears.

Characters in this word

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 變; 变 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
䜌
䜌䜌變biàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 變 uses 䜌 as a sound part and 攴 as a meaning part.

Open 变 →

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
辵辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
束
束shù速sù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

速 pairs 辵, the walking part, with 束, which is used for its sound; the walking part fits the meaning of moving fast.

Open 速 →

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
𥫗Written in full as竹zhúbamboo
Sound part声符shēngfú
相
相xiāng箱xiāng
Same sound today

箱 combines 竹, showing bamboo, with 相 as a sound part, to write a bamboo box or case.

Open 箱 →

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