安全系数 (ān quán xì shù) — safety factor, safety coefficient, margin of safety

Definition

Technical term for the engineered ratio that expresses how much stronger a design is than required — a higher 系数 means a larger margin of safety.

noun
safety factorsafety coefficientmargin of safety

Examples

  • 安全系数，。
    Zhè zuò qiáo de ān quán xì shù shè jì dé hěn gāo, kě yǐ chéng shòu jí duān tiān qì.
    The safety factor of this bridge is designed very high, so it can withstand extreme weather.
  • 安全系数。
    Gōng chéng shī bì xū què bǎo měi gè líng jiàn de ān quán xì shù fú hé guó jiā biāo zhǔn.
    Engineers must ensure that the safety factor of every component meets national standards.
  • 安全系数，。
    Zhè ge chǎn pǐn de ān quán xì shù tài dī, xū yào chóng xīn shè jì.
    The safety coefficient of this product is too low; it needs to be redesigned.

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safety
安ānsafe全quánwhole
联合Side by side
系数coefficient
系xìsystem数shùnumber
偏正Modifier + head

'安全' means safety and '系数' means coefficient, so a safety coefficient.

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 →

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

系 is made by putting together 手 (hand) and 糸 (silk).

Open 系 →

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 數; 数 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攴攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu數shù(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 數 pairs 攴, the meaning part, with 婁, the sound part; the simplified 数 is a shorthand.

Open 数 →

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