台 (tái) — (noun) platform, stage, terrace; also station (e.g., 电视台, 气象台); (classifier) for machines, vehicles, electronic devices, etc.
Definition
台 (tái) is a noun meaning 'platform / stage / broadcasting station' AND a measure word for machines and vehicles (一台电脑). Don't confuse the station sense with 站, which is for bus/train stops and websites; 台 is for broadcasting stations like 电视台.
noun
platformstageterracealso station (e.g., 电视台, 气象台)
classifier
for machinesvehicleselectronic devicesetc.
Examples
- 台。Zhè tái diàn nǎo hěn xīn.This computer is very new.
- 台。Nà tái chē shì wáng lǎo shī de.That car is Teacher Wang's.
- 。Tā zhàn zài tái qián huí dá wèn tí.He stands in front of the stage answering questions.
Origin
Compound ideograph六书liùshū
会意huìyìTwo or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 臺; 台 is its simplified writing.
The simplified 台 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (窗台, 电视台) it is 臺; in others (台灯, 台球) (台风) it is 檯 or 台 or 颱.
- 喬喬qiáo
- 室室shì
The traditional form 臺 is the 喬 + 室 form; earlier versions combined a sound part with 室, and an old reading saw it as a watch tower.
Grammar
Appears in
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