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安全网 (ān quán wǎng) — safety net (physical, e.g., in construction or for acrobats); safety net (social, financial, or other figurative support system)

Definition

noun
safety net (physical, e.g., in construction or for acrobats)safety net (social, financial, or other figurative support system)
Measure word · 张

Examples

  • 安全网。
    Gōng rén zài gāo lóu xià ān zhuāng le ān quán wǎng.
    Workers installed safety nets below the high-rise.
  • 安全网。
    Zhèng fǔ de fú lì zhì dù shì qióng rén de ān quán wǎng.
    The government's welfare system is a safety net for the poor.
  • 安全网。
    Zhè fèn gōng zuò gěi le tā yí gè jīng jì ān quán wǎng.
    This job provides him with a financial safety net.

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quánsecure
联合Coordinate
网wǎngnet

安全 and 网 combine to mean a net that provides safety.

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 網; 网 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
罔
罔wǎng網wǎng
Same sound today

The traditional form 網 pairs 糸 (rope) with 罔 to give the sound; the simplified 网 is a later shorthand.

Open 网 →
Appears in
Safety & Danger

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