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定律 (dìng lǜ) — scientific law (e.g., law of conservation of energy); generalization based on observation (in human affairs, e.g., 'power corrupts')

Definition

定律 names a formal 'law' — a scientific law or a generalization about society, as in 供求定律. 规律 emphasizes the regular pattern itself (and can be an adjective); 法则 is more abstract 'principle/rule'.

noun
scientific law (e.g., law of conservation of energy)generalization based on observation (in human affairs, e.g., 'power corrupts')

Examples

  • 定律。
    Niú dùn de wàn yǒu yǐn lì dìng lǜ shì wù lǐ xué de jī chǔ.
    Newton's law of universal gravitation is the foundation of physics.
  • 定律，。
    Zhè tiáo shè huì dìng lǜ gào sù wǒ men, quán lì huì dǎo zhì fǔ bài.
    This social law tells us that power leads to corruption.
  • 定律。
    Jīng jì xué zhōng de gōng qiú dìng lǜ jiě shì le jià gé biàn huà.
    The law of supply and demand in economics explains price changes.

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.

定dìngfixed
律lǜlaw

定 gives a fixed or settled sense, and 律 is a rule or law, so the whole means a fixed law.

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
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →

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
彳彳chì
Sound part声符shēngfú
聿
聿yù律lǜ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

律 puts 彳 beside 聿: 彳 is the part tied to the meaning, and 聿 is the part tied to the sound.

Open 律 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Science (General)

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