备件 (bèi jiàn) — spare parts, spare components

Definition

noun
spare partsspare components
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 备件。
    Zhè tái jī qì de bèi jiàn hěn nán mǎi dào.
    Spare parts for this machine are hard to buy.
  • 备件。
    Cāng kù lǐ yǒu hěn duō qì chē bèi jiàn.
    There are many car spare parts in the warehouse.
  • 备件。
    Qǐng jǐn kuài dìng gòu zhè xiē bèi jiàn.
    Please order these spare parts as soon as possible.

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.

备bèispare
件jiànitem

备 gives the sense of being spare, and 件 gives an item.

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 備; 备 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 備 shows a person carrying a quiver, matching the meaning 'ready; prepared'; the simplified 备 is a later abbreviation.

Open 备 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

件 is made of 人, 'man', and 牛, 'cow'.

Open 件 →

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