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太阳能 (tài yáng néng) — solar energy

Definition

noun
solar energy

Examples

  • 太阳能。
    tài yáng néng Shì yì zhǒng qīng jié néng yuán.
    Solar energy is a clean energy source.
  • 太阳能。
    Yǒu xiē guó jiā zhèng zài dà lì tuī guǎng tài yáng néng.
    Some countries are vigorously promoting solar energy.
  • 太阳能。
    Ān zhuāng tài yáng néng kě yǐ jié shěng diàn fèi.
    Installing solar energy can save on electricity costs.

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.

太阳sun
太tàigreat阳yángsun
偏正Modifier + head
能néngenergy

太阳 names the sun and 能 means energy, so together they mean solar energy.

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.

太 is a modified form of 大, with an extra dot added to show 'too big'.

Open 太 →

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 陽; 阳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阜阜fùhill
Sound part声符shēngfú
昜
昜yáng陽yáng
Same sound today

In the traditional form 陽, 阜 shows a hill and 昜 is the older character for the word, tied to sunshine and the sound; simplified 阳 is a later shorthand.

Open 阳 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

能 is an old picture of a bear, showing two paws and a face with an open mouth.

Open 能 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Energy & Power

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