安全壳 (ān quán ké) — containment vessel (nuclear reactor safety structure)

Definition

The thick steel-and-concrete shell surrounding a nuclear reactor core that contains radiation and pressure if an accident occurs.

noun
containment vessel (nuclear reactor safety structure)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 安全壳。
    Hé diàn zhàn de ān quán ké bì xū fēi cháng jiān gù.
    The containment vessel of a nuclear power plant must be extremely sturdy.
  • 安全壳。
    Gōng chéng shī zhèng zài jiǎn chá ān quán ké de mì fēng xìng.
    Engineers are checking the sealing of the containment vessel.
  • 安全壳。
    Zhè zuò ān quán ké kě yǐ chéng shòu qiáng liè dì zhèn.
    This containment vessel can withstand a strong earthquake.

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.

安全safe
安ānsafe全quáncomplete
联合Side by side
壳késhell

安全 means safe, and 壳 is a shell, so it names a protective shell.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
女
女nǚ安ān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 安, 宀 sits above a seated 女 on a cushion; 宀 is the meaning part, 女 is the sound part, and the character originally meant sitting at ease.

Open 安 →

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

The shape puts 入 together with 玉 to show a whole piece of jade, so it means complete or whole.

Open 全 →

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 殼; 壳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
几几jǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
㱿
㱿㱿殼ké(r)
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 殼 is built from 几 (the meaning part) and 㱿 (the sound part); the simplified 壳 is a later shorthand.

Open 壳 →

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