基线 (jī xiàn) — baseline (a reference point or standard used fo…

Definition

noun

baseline (a reference point or standard used for comparison or measurement)

基线。
Cè liáng rén yuán yǐ zhè tiáo jī xiàn wèi biāo zhǔn jìn xíng hòu xù gōng zuò.
The surveyors used this baseline as the standard for subsequent work.
基线。
Shù jù fēn xī xū yào xiān què dìng yí gè jī xiàn.
Data analysis requires first establishing a baseline.
基线。
Xiàng mù jìn dù yào duì zhào yuán shǐ jī xiàn lái píng gū.
Project progress should be evaluated against the original baseline.

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.

基 (base) and 线 (line) form a reference line used as a starting point.

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.

其土基

Meaning part形符xíngfú

土土tǔearth

Sound part声符shēngfú

其

Same sound today

The lower 土 means earth, and the upper 其 gives the sound; together they form the idea of a foundation of earth.

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 線; 线 is its simplified writing.

糹泉線

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

泉

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 線 uses 糹 (silk/thread) to show the meaning and 泉 to suggest the sound; the simplified 线 is a later shorthand.

Appears in