台式 (tái shì) — desktop style, tabletop style (of equipment or furniture)

Definition

Used to describe equipment or furniture designed to sit on a desk or table, as opposed to portable or floor-standing versions. A common pairing is 台式电脑 ('desktop computer').

noun
desktop styletabletop style (of equipment or furniture)

Examples

  • 台式。
    Wǒ mǎi le yì tái tái shì diàn nǎo.
    I bought a desktop computer.
  • 台式。
    Zhè zhǒng tái shì shè bèi hěn wěn dìng.
    This type of desktop equipment is very stable.
  • 台式。
    tái shì Jī bǐ bǐ jì běn diàn nǎo pián yi hěn duō.
    Desktop computers are much cheaper than laptops.

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.

台táitable
式shìstyle

台 gives table, and 式 gives style.

Characters in this word

Two 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.

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.

Open 台 →

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
工工gōngwork
Sound part声符shēngfú
弋
弋yì式shì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

式 pairs 工, meaning work, with 弋, which gives the sound.

Open 式 →

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