密电 (mì diàn) — cipher telegram

Definition

密 (secret, encrypted) + 电 (telegram) — a coded telegram whose content is scrambled for secrecy. Closely tied to 电报 (cipher telegram) but specifically one that uses a secret code, not a routine message.

noun
cipher telegram
Measure word · 封

Examples

  • 密电。
    Tā shōu dào le yì fēng lái zì zǒng bù de mì diàn.
    He received a cipher telegram from headquarters.
  • 密电，。
    Zhè fèn mì diàn de nèi róng fēi cháng zhòng yào, bì xū bǎo mì.
    The content of this cipher telegram is very important and must be kept secret.
  • ，密电。
    Zài zhàn zhēng shí qī, mì diàn shì zhòng yào de tōng xùn fāng shì.
    During wartime, cipher telegrams were an important means of communication.

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.

密mìsecret
电diàntelegram

密 means secret and 电 means telegram, giving a secretly sent telegram.

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
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
宓
宓mì密mì
Same sound today

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

Open 密 →

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 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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