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安卓 (ān zhuō) — Android (operating system)

Definition

noun
Android (operating system)

Examples

  • 安卓。
    Wǒ de shǒu jī shì ān zhuō xì tǒng.
    My phone runs the Android operating system.
  • 安卓Google。
    ān zhuō Yìng yòng kě yǐ zài Google shāng diàn xià zài.
    Android apps can be downloaded from the Google Play store.
  • 安卓iOS？
    Nǐ gèng xǐ huan ān zhuō hái shì iOS?
    Do you prefer Android or iOS?

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
音译yīnyìTransliteration

The characters spell the sound of a foreign word; their individual meanings play no part.

安ān
卓zhuó

The characters 安 and 卓 carry no meaning of their own here; the word transliterates Android.

Sound-only characters

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 old shape has been explained as a child with a flag-like mark above, or as a man standing high on an altar, giving the sense of tall and outstanding.

Open 卓 →
Appears in
Computers & Internet

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